Juarno Augustus powers Northampton to win over Castres with brace of tries

12/07/2024 12:34 PM

• Northampton 38-6 Castres
• Alex Mitchell makes first start after injury in pre-season

There was never much doubt over the outcome, whatever the chaos in the air, whatever the vagaries of the home team's form. English champions at home to a side renowned, even by the standards of the French, for their seeming travel sickness is a fixture that should not require a shaman to divine.

So it turned out. Northampton emerge from the floodlit swirling rainstorm with the full complement of points, six tries and the successful reintegration of Alex Mitchell into their starting line-up. It would be misleading to describe this as a return to their champion form of last season, just as it would be unfair to describe Castres as waving them through obligingly, but this was virtually the definition of a job done, no nonsense means-end efficiency.