Saints beat Exiles to seal play-off place

London Irish (6) 20
Tries: Thorpe, Mapusua Cons: Homer 2 Pens: Homer 2
Northampton (13) 26
Tries: Ashton 2 Cons: Myler 2 Pens: Myler 4

England wing Chris Ashton’s two tries helped Northampton Saints secure their Premiership play-off place at the expense of London Irish.

Ashton went over in the first half to put Northampton in charge and he doubled his tally after the break.

Tries from Richard Thorpe and Seilala Mapusua kept the hosts’ top four hopes alive as they reduced the gap to 20-23.

But Stephen Myler’s fourth penalty left the Exiles seven points adrift of Saints with just one game left.

More to follow.

London Irish: D Armitage; Ojo, Seveali’i, Mapusua, Homer; Bowden, Hodgson; Dermody, Paice, Rautenbach, Kennedy, Casey, Gibson, S Armitage, Stowers.

Replacements: Buckland, Lahiff, Ion, Johnson, Thorpe, joseph, Malone, Allinson.

Northampton: Foden; Ashton, Clarke, Downey, Diggin; Myler, Dickson; Tonga’uiha, Hartley, Mujati, Lawes, Day, Clark, Dowson, Wilson.

Replacements: Sharman, Waller, Mercey, Sorenson, Easter, Commins, Geraghty, Ansbro.