Oxford University 0, Northampton 68

Northampton dished out an almighty ten-try battering to Oxford University at Iffley Road last night.

They included former England international Tom May and England Saxons fly half Stephen Myler in a starting line-up featuring 12 players who have appeared in the Premiership this season – and boy did it tell.

Northampton won four penalties in the opening six minutes, with their scrum particularly dominant.

The fourth infringement, at a scrum, saw referee Tom Davis go straight for a penalty try, which Myler converted.

Oxford were still giving away too many penalties, with full back Jon Hudson yellow-carded on 12 minutes as Davis again lost patience.

Another big scrum and some slick handling ended with May flying over on 18 minutes and Myler converting.

The Dark Blues got a sniff of the Northampton line with a driving maul, but the visitors secured a turnover.

Northampton’s third try on 33 minutes saw scrum half Stuart Commins apply the finish after a dominant driving maul. Myler converted from the touchline.

Centre Gavin Turner became Oxford’s second sin-binning of the night, and the visitors soon had a well-worked fourth try through No 8 Samu Manoa, Myler converting.

Northampton made five changes at half-time and Oxford upped the ante, but they could not stop centre Scott Armstrong catching a cross kick and motoring over for Myler to convert on 48 minutes.

Hudson, now at fly half, narrowly failed to put wing Sean Morris in by the same tactic four minutes later.

Northampton’s rolling maul earned replacement Sam Farmer their sixth try on 58 minutes.

Wing Jamie Elliot then raced away from a tapped penalty and fed Armstrong to score, with full back Greig Tonks converting.

Oxford conceded two soft tries in quick succession as the floodgates well and truly opened, Alex Day and Tom Stephenson scoring and fellow replacement Glynn Hughes converting both.

Tonks had the final say with his jinking run that wrong-footed the defence for try No 10, Hughes converting.

Oxford University: Hudson, Morris*, Perkins, Turner (O'Donovan 58), Neil, Mitchell (H Guinness* 41), Egerton (J Mather* 41), Macdonald* (Grounds 53), Wisson, Direen (Anderson* 53), Rowlands (Durward 20), Evans*, Connor* (Law 45), L Mather* (Asbun 58), Carter* (capt) (Rowlands 50).

Northampton: Tonks, Elliott, Armstrong, May, Diggin, Myler, Commins, Waller, Sharman, Mercey, Craig, Hicks, Harrison, Nutley, Manoa. Reps: McMillan, Herriott, Waller, Farmer, Warr, Day, Stephenson, Hughes, Woolford.

Referee: T Davis (Oxon). * denotes Blue.