Late penalty sees Saints’ Lamb deny former club Gloucester

It was a big moment for former Gloucester stand-off Lamb, making his debut off the bench, particularly as he had missed a kick minutes earlier with his side two points ahead then watched in horror as Freddie Burns rifled Gloucester in front with a towering drop-goal.

But starting fly-half Stephen Myler was equally important in the 26-24 victory, kicking 13 points and cleverly creating his team’s opening try for captain Phil Dowson.

Some in the 13,000 crowd were puzzled when rugby director Mallinder replaced Myler with Lamb in the 62nd minute, but he defended his decision.

“The game was always going to be tight, and while folk sometimes talk about making too many changes, we wanted to push on from being seven points ahead,” he said.

“It was a straight swap. Myler played very well when he was on, kicked his goals and impressed. But Lamb is also a good player who brings something different to the table.

“He didn’t get much chance to show his game, but he has had a really good pre-season and trained well in tandem with Stephen. We have a bigger squad this season and plan to use them.

“You don’t see many Ryan Lamb-style fly-halves in the Premiership. He’s an instinctive footballer who can make things happen.”

The day before, Exeter Chiefs stunned hosts Leicester Tigers by returning to Devon on the back of a 30-28 triumph.

Tigers coach Richard Cockerill refused to blame the mass of Leicester absentees due to injury and the World Cup. The Tigers had 11 players out on international duty and another three injured – which became four just before kick-off when England ace Mathew Tait pulled out with a groin strain.

Despite all that, Leicester were still in with a chance late on but, when 18-year-old fly-half protege George Ford failed with two highly-pressurised drop-goal attempts to win the game, Exeter clung onto a 30-28 lead and recorded a famous victory.

Tigers coach Cockerill said: “We could have snuck it at the end. The battle was good and we just fell short at the end although you have to give credit to Exeter and what they came with.

“I’m not downhearted at all. We have a lot of blokes missing – and I’m not using that as an excuse – but I was pleased with the way we battled away.

“The attitude was outstanding, our commitment was outstanding which put us in the mix at the end to potentially win it.”

Elsewhere, an immaculate seven-out-of-seven kicking display by Nick Evans enabled Harlequins to secure the first victory of the new season with a 29-24 triumph over London Irish.

The former All Blacks fly-half kicked five penalties and converted tries by James Johnston and England winger Ugo Monye.

Wasps edged out Saracens 20-15 in the other match held at Twickenham after Harlequins’ success. Bath took the honours in their trip to the North East when they beat Newcastle 22-9, while Worcester marked their return to the top flight with a 17-12 victory over Sale Sharks.