Northampton Saints 30 Gloucester 24: Saints complete first part of trophy treble

NORTHAMPTON boss Jim Mallinder last night savoured the "special" feeling of cup final success after his team booked a place in top-flight European competition next season.

Saints' thrilling 30-24 LV= Cup final victory over Gloucester at Sixways guaranteed qualification for the 2010/2011 Heineken Cup.

It also completed stage one of a possible trophy treble, with Northampton facing a Heineken quarter-final against Munster next month and currently standing just two points behind Guinness Premiership leaders Leicester.

"Cup finals are all about winning," he said.

"You would take 3-0 in a final, but it is more encouraging when you can go out and play like that.

"There were two teams who wanted to play rugby, and I thought it was a good advert for the game. It shows how far the side has progressed, and it was great for our fantastic set of fans who have supported us through thick and thin. It was special."

Saints' pulsating triumph was secured through tries by prop Soane Tonga'uiha, centre James Downey and scrum-half Lee Dickson in a game when the lead changed hands five times.

Fly-half Stephen Myler's 100 per cent goal-kicking return harvested 15 points, and that proved the difference against a Gloucester side that underlined its post-Christmas resurgence.

Myler's opposite number Nicky Robinson kicked 14 points, including the conversion of a penalty try, while flanker Akapusi Qera also touched down, but Saints deservedly shaded an epic tussle.

Gloucester head coach Brian Redpath said: "It was a game that could have gone either way. We didn't control possession well enough and there were one or two little errors."