Northampton, Bath open Prem season with crushing wins — SkimNews
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- Northampton Saints thrashed Newcastle Red Bulls 59-26 with nine tries — including hat-tricks from Tommy Freeman and James Pater — to make an early statement of title-defense intent.
- Christian Wade scored twice for Newcastle to reach 95 Premiership tries, leaving him just six behind all-time record holder Chris Ashton.
- Henry Pollock took the field for the first time since signing his new £400,000-a-year contract, sporting a cornrows hairstyle on Northampton's opening night.
- Santi Carreras produced a remarkable solo try — intercepting a mid-air pass destined for Cadan Murley and winning the foot race from outside Bath's own 22 — to help Bath beat Harlequins 33-17.
- Harlequins were missing four England internationals — Marcus Smith, Alex Dombrandt, Fin Baxter and George Furbank — through injury, leaving Cadan Murley and Chandler Cunningham-South as the last of their England contingent standing.
- Bath's line-out maul proved decisive as they led 28-10 at halftime and finished the stronger side against a Quins side that ran out of steam.
Why it matters: Northampton and Bath both posted statement wins on opening night, while injury-hit Harlequins — already without four England stars — face a steep climb before the Six Nations window. Wade is now six tries from Ashton's all-time Premiership record, a milestone within reach this season.
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