The Prem

Northampton (31) 59

Tries: Pater 3, Hendy, Freeman 3, Coles, Sleightholme Cons: F Smith 5, Belleau 2

Newcastle (14) 26

Tries: Wade 2, Jordan, Kok Cons: Connon, Henry 2

James Pater and Tommy Freeman ran in hat-tricks as Northampton Saints kicked off their title defence with a comfortable 59-26 win over new-look Newcastle Red Bulls at Franklin’s Gardens.

Just three months after securing a second Prem title against Exeter Chiefs at Allianz Stadium, Saints were dominant against a much-changed Red Bulls side who have welcomed 25 new players through the door this summer.

Three tries each for Pater and Freeman and one each for George Hendy, Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme delivered an emphatic scoreline as Saints, brilliantly conducted by fly-half Fin Smith, ran in nine tries.

Yet for all that the scoreline delivered another defeat for Newcastle they still scored four tries and came away with a losing bonus point as they hope that, for the first time in five seasons, they may not be destined for bottom place in the Prem.

Pater went over twice inside the first 15 minutes with Hendy, Freeman and Coles all following him in during a first period Northampton bossed.

But two tries from Christian Wade which were both converted – with the first a brilliant end-to-end and side-to-side score which had levelled matters early – showed Newcastle will cause problems for plenty of teams this season.

If those were the positives, two yellow cards were the balancers for the visitors. A first for a trip by Harrison Obatoyinbo and the second for a no-hands tackle under the sticks by Pouri Rakete-Stones hampered their defensive effort.

Those mistakes allowed Saints to stretch clear in the second period.

Throughout the 80 minutes the visitors had no real answer to the power and pace of Henry Pollock, who celebrated his new £400,000 contract extension not only with an eye-catching braided hairstyle but a performance which justified it all.

Pollock was not alone in hitting the ground running with Smith superb and Freeman and Pater ruthless.

Freeman completed his hat-trick with two second-half tries either side of Cam Jordan’s first for Newcastle, after signing from Gloucester in the summer.

Sleightholme pounced just seconds after coming on as a substitute and the impressive Pater rounded off the win with his own hat-trick.

However, the impressively mobile Werner Kok scored a consolation late on to ensure Newcastle left with a bonus point to their name.

Northampton: Pater, Freeman, Hutchinson, Dingwall, Hendy, F Smith, McParland, Iyogun, Langdon, Kundiona, Coles, Prowse, Kemeny, Pollock, Chick

Replacements: R Smith, Fischetti, Neculai, Lockett, Taylor, Mitchell, Belleau, Sleightholme.

Newcastle: Obatoyinbo, Wade, Hearle, Harris, Kok, Connon, Elliott, Rakete-Stones, McGuigan, Millar Mills, Usher, Jordan, Hicks, Christie, Graham.

Replacements: Fletcher, West, Harper, Molina, Leatherbarrow, Cruz, Henry, Sotutu.

Sin bin: Obatoyinbo (14), Rakete-Stones (43)

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe.