Courtney Lawes says Gallagher Premiership Rugby title race wide open as Northampton Saints beat Exeter Chiefs
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Published 12/11/2023 at 18:57 GMT
Northampton Saints leapfrogged Exeter with a 34-19 victory, moving into the top four at the Chiefs' expense. That win, Saints' third on the bounce, gave England star Courtney Lawes the opportunity to declare the Gallagher Premiership Rugby season to be as open as ever and insist that it is anyone's title to win at this stage. With the World Cup-shortened season, it is a sprint and not a marathon.
Courtney Lawes of Northampton Saints off loads the ball during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs at Cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens on November 12, 2023 in Northampton, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
Northampton made it three wins on the bounce on Sunday evening when they saw off a surprisingly flat Exeter Chiefs side 34-19 at Franklin's Gardens.
That victory lifted Saints above the Chiefs and into the top four of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby table - temporarily at least in the play-off places.
Speaking to TNT's coverage after the match, Lawes hinted at the knockout matches to come.
He said: "You can't win Premierships without a good defence."
Northampton had shown dominant defensive play in the opening half against Exeter, shocking the high flying Chiefs attack and keeping them cold.
With Saints having now beaten two strong teams in consecutive weeks in the form of Bath and Exeter, Lawes admitted that his team mates are feeling confident.
He said: "Bath were top last week, Exeter were top this week, we've shown we can mix it with the big boys and we'll just continue to try and build."
Lawes admitted too, that he already has his eyes on the play-offs.
Speaking about Saints' progress, he said: "Everyone wants a home semi-final and that's what we'll strive for."
But Lawes insisted that the competition is as open as it has ever been and no team can afford to get carried away with a good run.
He explained: "It's the same as the previous couple of years. Anyone is in for a shout, especially top four and then on to the semi and final. Anyone can win these games."
Following the competition's reduction to 10 teams this season, and the calendar's subsequent shortening, there is little room for error.
With five games played for all but Saracens and Newcastle, the table has already begun to take shape.
Newcastle have lost each of their opening four matches, but the other nine teams remain - more or less - in the hunt.
Each team will only play 18 fixtures before the play offs, meaning that winning runs like Northampton's will be worth their weight in gold by the end of the campaign.
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