Saints

Don’t start planning any parades just yet. Hold off on those February plans to travel to Santa Clara.

The Rams still have a long way to go make the playoffs and try to advance to the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium.

Their 34-10 victory Sunday over the struggling New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium was no revelation or landmark win. But the Rams did something important. Something championship-caliber teams are supposed to do: They convincingly dispatched of a weaker opponent before 72,055.

Matthew Stafford passed for four touchdowns, receiver Puka Nacua returned from an ankle injury in spectacular fashion, and the defense dominated again as the Rams won their third game in a row, improved to 6-2 and showed that the Dodgers might not be the only L.A. team hoisting a championship trophy.

“We’ll see if we can continue to do some good stuff like they did,” coach Sean McVay said of the World Series champions.

The Rams’ victory put them atop the NFC West heading into next Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.

“I like the fact that we’re getting better,” McVay said, adding, “There’s just a good vibe.”

On most fronts, anyway.

The Rams’ first victory over an NFC opponent did not come against the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles or the rival 49ers, teams the Rams lost to in part because of kicking-game disasters.

Rams coach Sean McVay watches from the sideline during the first half Sunday against the Saints.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

And those issues remain: Joshua Karty missed a field goal and an extra point.

So McVay’s patience with the kicking game is wearing thin. And no team will win a title without a competent one.

McVay once again said he had confidence in Karty, but that was after he said “it can’t continue like this … it’s gone on for too long,” and “it’s not getting better,” among other things.

Can the Rams be a championship team without an adequate placekicking unit?

“No,” McVay said. “It’s going to cost us — it’s cost us already. It’s been a momentum killer. … The harsh truth of it is this is not sustainable.”

But if the Rams solve the kicking issue and stay healthy — Nacua said he would play against the 49ers after leaving the game in the second half because of a chest injury — and McVay can keep his team focused against division opponents and other playoff contenders, the Rams might earn their own parade.

Stafford is positioning himself to lead one.

Already a fixture on NFL career passing lists, the 17th-year pro is enjoying another sensational season.

As he did in 2021, when he passed for 41 touchdowns and led the Rams to a Super Bowl title, Stafford is playing at a level that should have him in the most-valuable-player discussion.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passes in front of Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan during the first quarter Sunday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

On Sunday his two touchdown passes to Davante Adams and one each to Nacua and tight end Tyler Higbee increased Stafford’s season total to 21, with only two interceptions.

Stafford, who passed for five touchdowns in an Oct. 19 rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars, completed 24 of 32 passes for 281 yards and extended to five his streak of games without an interception.

Stafford’s wife and their daughters attended the game wearing No. 22 Dodgers jerseys, a salute to retiring pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Stafford’s high school teammate.

Now Stafford is chasing a second Super Bowl title.

“It’s not like we’ve got it all figured out,” he said, adding, “Got to keep continuing to find ways to put more points on the board.”

Nacua sat out against the Jaguars because of an ankle injury. But he said in the days leading up to the game that he was “feeling fantastic.”

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, left, celebrates with wide receiver Davante Adams after catching a touchdown pass in the second quarter Sunday against the Saints.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

He looked like it at the outset, making two catches for first downs to start a drive that ended with Stafford’s touchdown pass to Higbee. The veteran tight end, in an apparent salute to the Dodgers, celebrated by taking an imaginary swing and then doing their post-hit celebration.

Adams then followed his breakout three-touchdown performance against the Jaguars with the first of two more red-zone touchdowns. The 12th-year pro is tied for eighth all time with 111 touchdown catches.

Early in the second quarter, Stafford and Nacua went for the home run, connecting on a 39-yard pass that Nacua hauled in for a touchdown and a 20-3 lead.

Stafford’s short strike to Adams in the third quarter put the game out of reach, and Kyren Williams’ short touchdown run early in the fourth quarter provided the finishing touch.

Williams rushed for 114 yards and Blake Corum ran for 58 on a day when the Rams once again utilized all four tight ends in the pass and run attacks.

Meanwhile, the Rams defense made it rough on Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough in his first start.

Several Rams defensive players tackle Saints quarterback Tyler Shough in the second quarter of the Rams’ 34-10 win Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Lineman Braden Fiske got his first sack of the season, linebacker Nate Landman forced another fumble, and cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. intercepted his first pass as a Ram.

“We’re growing at a great rate,” Landman said, “and we’re going to peak at the right time.”

The game against the Saints was the start of a stretch that includes two home games after the 49ers. Only two remaining nine games — a late November trip to play the Carolina Panthers and a late December trip to play the Atlanta Falcons — will require the Rams to travel farther east than Arizona.

A lot can happen between now and the start of the playoffs. But the Rams look like the Super Bowl contender they were built to be.

Puka Nacua sounded as if there was no doubt.

The Rams star receiver, who sat out the last game because of an ankle injury, said Thursday that he was “feeling great” and planned to play on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium.

“That’s the plan,” he said after practice. “I’m feeling fantastic. Feel ready to go.”

The Rams returned this week from an off week after defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.

That enabled Nacua to rest and receive treatment for an injury suffered during an Oct. 12 victory against the Ravens in Baltimore.

Nacua had two catches for 28 yards before he and Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey leaped for a pass near the end zone. Both came down hard on the turf as the pass fell incomplete.

Nacua said he was intent on making sure that if he did not come down with the ball, neither would Humphrey.

“Really thought it was like just getting the wind knocked out of me, just of how I landed,” Nacua said. “Got up and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s definitely not my back.’”

The Rams defeated the Jaguars without Nacua to improve their record to 5-2 heading into the off week.

“Never a good time to be injured,” Nacua said, “but the bye did land at a great time to rest and recover.”

Nacua returns to a receiving corps that got a three-touchdown performance from Davante Adams against the Jaguars. The Rams, however, will be without Tutu Atwell, who is on injured reserve for at least four games because of a hamstring injury.

Nacua ranks third in the NFL with 54 catches and fourth with 616 yards receiving. He has two touchdown catches and also has rushed for a touchdown.

Nacua eclipsed 100 yards receiving three times this season, the last a month ago when he caught 13 passes for 170 yards in a 17-3 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

THE Nineties might have been ruled by boybands and girl-bands, but life at the top of pop could be tough.

And it was probably worse for the girls, as putting on extra pounds, dating the wrong guy or, heaven forbid, having a baby were hugely frowned upon by management teams.

New BBC documentary Girlbands Forever, the follow-up to last year’s three-parter about boybands, delves into an era where record companies had less regard for duty of care, days off or mental health.

It features members of Atomic Kitten, Eternal, Sugababes, Mis-teeq and Little Mix, providing insight into what it was like being in an all-female group in the Nineties and early Noughties.

The dream was to replicate the success of the Spice Girls, the all-conquering icons who sparked the girlband explosion.

And record labels invested millions in a bid to find the next big thing.

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But as the Spice Girls’ rivals All Saints found out, the pressure became unbearable.

So much so that when founding member Melanie Blatt informed managers that she and bandmate Nicole Appleton were pregnant, both were told to abort their babies.

The reason? They had just cracked America with No1 hit Never Ever and momentum could be lost.

Melanie, 50, explains: “I hadn’t been with my partner for very long, it was definitely a bit of a surprise It wasn’t people congratulating us. It was more like this look of dread and worry and the realisation that things are going to change.

“We flew to LA and at [airport] LAX our manager, he was behind us, was telling us to abort our babies.”

She added that her bosses told them they were “going to ruin everything” and “it was the end of the band”.

Melanie ended up having her baby with her partner, Stuart Zender, the bassist for band Jamiroquai.

‘Vomiting in toilets’

But Nicole, who fell pregnant with then boyfriend Robbie Williams, did not, which Melanie admits caused issues with their relationship.

She explains: “Nic and I had been best friends since we were 11. We took pregnancy tests in a hotel in Canada and spent that whole night discussing bringing our kids up together. It was one of the best nights ever.

“And it’s not really my place to talk about it, but unfortunately . . . it was a very uncomfortable situation because I kept mine, she didn’t. That was a really tricky part of my and our existence.”

All Saints, which consisted of Melanie, sisters Nicole and Natalie and main songwriter Shaznay Lewis, were always deemed a “cool version” of the Spice Girls and were far more rock ‘n’ roll.

Whereas Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton and Mel B found love with a footballer, an R&B singer and a dancer respectively, the All Saints girls dated rock stars, with Nicole marrying and having a son with Liam Gallagher.

Melanie says: “We were turning up to kids’ TV shows on a Saturday morning without having one wink of sleep. We looked fine, just a bit of vomiting in the toilets prior to CD:UK.”

After two albums, All Saints split in 2001, a disparity in earnings between Shaznay and the rest of the band being a major factor.

By the end of their existence as a group, Melanie says they “hated each other”.

She adds: “We’d fallen out, it was hell, it was ‘separate’ everything.

“It was just ridiculous but literally one of the proudest moments of being in that band was calling it quits because we didn’t stay for the money. We wanted to be done, we didn’t want to be with each other any more and we made that decision.

“We were in control. We were supposed to go on tour and we gave the money back and I’m so proud of that. That’s one of the only decisions we were all happy to make together, telling each other to f*** off.”

• Girlbands Forever begins on Saturday at 9.20pm on BBC Two.

Little Mix

AS girlbands moved into the 2010s, life did not get any easier, with social media now to contend with.

With Little Mix, Perrie Edwards, 32, bore the brunt of the online abuse due to her relationship with One Direction heart-throb Zayn Malik.

She explains: “Social media was dark, especially back in the day.

“Me and the girls used to get a lot of stick. Things we would wear or how we would look, people would pick us apart.

“You’re hurting enough as it is, never mind everybody having an opinion on it. Everyone wants to know your business and everyone feels like they have ownership in that.

“You can’t escape it. So you may as well sing about it.”

Life in girlbands was relentless, so Little Mix lasting ten years was a monumental achievement.

But Perrie, below, admits she almost quit when she was at her lowest ebb ahead of a gig in Las Vegas.

She says: “I didn’t want to go, I was so exhausted. I tried getting out of the trip and when I got there, I started experiencing panic attacks.

“I didn’t know what was happening at the time, I’d never experienced a panic attack.

“I ended up in a hospital. I didn’t want to let the girls down. They had to do it without me and I hated it and I really resented myself for it.”

She adds: “When you’re in a group dynamic, even though you’re going through stuff individually, you can’t just be selfish so I kind of put a brave face on a lot of time.

“I didn’t want to let the team down.”

Eternal

ETERNAL had a No1 smash hit with I Wanna Be The Only One in 1997, but their looks soon became a concern.

Founding member Kelle Bryan, 50, reveals: “People were always voicing concerns about my weight and about our weight as a band. Stylists would come along and say, ‘This doesn’t fit you, this doesn’t fit you’.

“We’re talking about an era where being a size zero was popular, so they sent us away to this place in the countryside where they were able to control what we ate.”

Atomic Kitten

WHILE on the 1999 Smash Hits Tour, Atomic Kitten’s Kerry Katona fell for Westlife singer Brian McFadden, but was ordered not to date him by management.

Kerry, 45, says: “They all went absolutely f*ing apes**t. I remember [Westlife manager] Louis Walsh saying, ‘I don’t like you, you’re trouble’.

Bandmate and best pal Natasha Hamilton, 43, adds: “It was definitely bad for the brand. Not from my point of view but from the label and management. They said girls can’t be seen with one of the boys in the biggest boyband in the UK because fan jealousy is a thing.”

Mis-Teeq

BEING an all-black group who rose up from the “underground scene” in 1999, Mis-Teeq felt they were discriminated against and given fewer opportunities.

Su-Elise Nash, 44, says: “We weren’t invited to the same premieres. Some magazines wouldn’t consider us for the cover because they didn’t think three black girls would sell.

“Our struggle to get there was definitely not as easy as it would have been if we had one white member or we’d all-white.”

Sugababes

WHEN Sugababes founding member Mutya Buena gave birth to her first child aged 19 – while the band were working on their fourth album – there was no let-up.

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Mutya, now 40, quit the group that same year in 2005 and was later diagnosed with post-natal depression.

Record label exec Darcus Beese says: “I remember standing in my kitchen trying to talk her down. I had no concept of post-natal depression. I would ask questions now like, ‘How’s your mental health?’.”

Northampton Saints: Hendy, Freeman, Hutchinson, Dingwall (c), Todaro, Smith, Mitchell; Fischetti, Smith, Davison, Lockett, Van Der Mescht, Coles, Pearson, Pollock

Replacements: Wright, Iyogun, Green, Prowse, Chick, McParland, Belleau, Litchfield

Yellow card: Pearson (40)

Saracens: Malins, Caluori, Tompkins, Farrell, Bracken, Burke, Bracken; Mawi, Dan, Riccioni, Itoje, Tizard, Gonzalez, Onyeama-Christie, Willis

Replacements: Hadfield, Carre, Street, Isiekwe, McFarland, Earl, Simpson, Hall

Yellow card: Riccioni (54)

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

This weekend’s East Midlands derby against Leicester Tigers will be Smith’s first game since the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia, having completed his mandatory rest period.

He described the experience as “an absolute privilege”, while admitting to being frustrated with his performances on the pitch.

“When I reflect on it, no one can take that series from me,” he said.

“It is the pinnacle of the sport, but I have enough self-awareness to realise I didn’t play my best rugby on tour and it didn’t go as I would have liked.

“But in terms of the experience, the scale, being around the best players in the world is such a brilliant thing.

“Having been away from the game, gone on my holidays, digested that, it’s been nice to take the emotion out of it.

“Whilst I might have been on one hand frustrated, what can I learn, what can I take out of it and bring back into this season, how do I keep getting better? It starts this Saturday.”

Northampton expect to welcome back all of their four Lions players – Smith, Henry Pollock, Tommy Freeman and Alex Mitchell – to take on the Tigers.

“I am desperate to play well but I am well aware that if you try to pull rabbits out of hats and have the best game of your life it will go the other way,” Smith said.

“I need to stay nice and calm, do my job and hopefully that will lead to me performing well and impressing the powers that be.

“But first and foremost we need a good result for the town.”

The mesmerising finish with a 16-pass move that criss-crossed the pitch, and had Harry Robertson beat a number of tackles along the way, sets up a semi-final trip to Hull KR on Saturday, 4 October.

As Super League’s two most successful clubs, sharing 17 Grand Final wins between them, the showdown at Headingley between the fourth and fifth placed teams promised to enthral.

Both sides made a number of changes for the knockout tie, with Saints’ backs reshuffled after winger Kyle Feldt was injured in last week’s win against Castleford, while Leeds could again call on the prolific Ryan Hall and Man of Steel nominee Jake Connor.

Scrum-half Connor played a part in Leeds’ opening try, with the ball quickly shifted through the hands of Lachie Miller and Ash Handley before finding Hankinson to dive over.

The try from Hankinson, after he spilled a high ball at the other end to invite pressure on Leeds, summed up the chaotic nature of the opening exchanges.

A combination of luck and quick thinking had Saints pull level, after Curtis Sironen managed to take a high kick before then offloading for Morgan Knowles, who spilled the ball.

The forward, however, thrust a boot out to turn what seemed destined to be a knock-on into a sublime grubber kick for Lomax to finish.

McDonnell went on to restore Leeds’ advantage as he bobbed and weaved his way through three attempted tackles to touch down on the half-hour mark.

Lees’ departure at half-time left Saints short on the bench on a physically taxing night in West Yorkshire as Leeds piled forward in search of more tries after the break.

Leeds went on to waste a succession of chances to add to their lead, with a captain’s challenge from Saints also seeing a Handley try scrubbed off.

At the other end it took a try-saving shove from Connor to keep Bennison from crossing over on the hour mark.

But the winger would go on to pull a try back to give Saints hope with four minutes left after Connor had put the hosts eight points up with his penalty.

A Leeds penalty conceded for offside allowed Saints one last chance to salvage a memorable result, which Wright did for the club that gave his season renewed purpose after leaving financially-troubled side Salford on loan in August.

Sept. 18 (UPI) — A federal jury in Gulfport, Miss., has convicted a man charged with six counts of federal arson and civil rights offenses for vandalizing and setting fire to a house of worship, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

Stefan Day Rowold set fire to the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Wiggins, Miss., on July 7, 2024.

Evidence presented at the trial suggested that Rowold targeted the church because he disagreed with its fundamental religious beliefs and principles, the Justice Department said in a release.

Rowold confessed to breaking into the building, vandalizing the interior walls and setting a fire in the middle of the church’s multi-purpose room so leaders could not hold services.

Rowold used the church’s hymnals for kindling for the fire, court records showed. He also admitted to breaking into the church two days later with the intention of creating more damage.

“The second time he broke in, Rowold set another fire using cardboard and a piece of firewood,” the Justice Department statement continued.

Rowold is scheduled to be sentenced in January. He faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison on each of the arson charges, a maximum sentence of 20 years on each of the civil rights charges and a minimum of 10 years for using fire to commit a federal felony offense.

Chargers quarterback Trey Lance passes during the second half Sunday.

(Eric Thayer / Associated Press)

With a strong showing in the preseason opener — earning both the trust and praise of the coaching staff — Trey Lance has seemingly closed the gap in what was once considered a foregone decision for the backup quarterback spot.

The growing confidence in his game showed Sunday — trusting his legs to extend plays — as he extended his second series with 13- and 17-yard scrambles in the second quarter. He capped the drive with a designed quarterback draw near the goal line for a five-yard touchdown run.

“It allows you to move the chains,” Harbaugh said of Lance’s running ability. “You make the right decisions, that’s what it really comes down to. … Not everybody can do that.”

Harbaugh added, “I’m glad he’s getting that game-time experience. We thought he would be good.”

Most of Lance’s production came on the ground, rushing seven times for 48 yards. He also completed seven of 14 passes for 55 yards.

“[I’m] just trying to have great practices and stack those on top of each other, and then great games and continue to stack those,” Lance said. “Like I said last week, I thought it was a good starting point. And this week, another one.”

Taylor Heinicke, who sat out the preseason opener, looked rusty in his first action, starting the game but finishing one for five for eight yards with one sack.

During his lone quarter of work, he overshot several receivers — Tyler Conklin downfield and Kimani Vidal near the sideline. Several drives stalled with Heinicke under center, as the Chargers started deep in their territory and pressure collapsed the pocket.

Injury have hit the Chargers hard in training camp.

From minor setbacks sidelining Mekhi Becton and Ladd McConkey for multiple practices, to the severe, with Najee Harris’ return date still a mystery and Rashawn Slater out for the season.

Out of an abundance of caution, coach Jim Harbaugh once again said veteran starters won’t play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium.

For rookies such as KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Nikko Reed, it’s a chance to build on the promise they showed in last week’s preseason debuts.

It will be the first direct comparison between Taylor Heinicke and Trey Lance, who are in an unexpected backup quarterback battle.

And Trey Pipkins III will get much-needed reps at right tackle as the offensive line undergoes a reshuffle.

Battle at backup quarterback

Chargers quarterback Taylor Heinicke (8) hands off to running back Gus Edwards during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 22.

(Matt Freed / Associated Press)

After bouncing around three teams in five seasons, Lance showed flashes of why he was once a No. 3 overall pick.

His strong performance in the Hall of Fame Game — 120 yards and two touchdowns — earned him the coaching staff’s trust to compete for the backup quarterback spot alongside Heinicke.

“He’s a guy that is really diligent with his preparation,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. “He definitely afforded himself well. … Confidence is only gained in this league on the field, and he should be confident.”

Last season, Heinicke served as the primary backup behind Justin Herbert, joining the Chargers from the Atlanta Falcons for a seventh-round pick, a concerted move to add depth after last year’s lackluster backup quarterback competition.

Though Heinicke, who re-signed in the offseason, appears to have a leg up, Lance will have the chance throughout the preseason to prove he can be a capable backup. The Chargers plan to play Heinicke during the first two series Sunday — his preseason debut — before Lance takes over for the rest of the game.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith moving up

Chargers receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith catches a pass during a preseason game against the Detroit Lions on July 31 in Canton, Ohio.

(Kirk Irwin / Associated Press)

As training camp unfolds, the Chargers may have unearthed a diamond in the rough with fifth-round pick KeAndre Lambert-Smith, the 21st wide receiver selected in the draft.

Roman raved about Lambert-Smith’s body type, speed, smooth movements and instinct for tracking the ball. Those traits have quickly led to chemistry with Herbert, resulting in more targets with each practice.

Despite drawing only two targets in his preseason debut, he made the most of them — hauling in a 28-yard reception and turning a 15-yard slant into a touchdown.

“He’s not just a one-trick pony, down-the-field guy — he’s really impressed me,” Roman said. “He’s gotten a lot better with his route running. There’s still a long way to go, but he’s on that trajectory.”

Trey Pipkins III’s move to right tackle

Chargers tackle Trey Pipkins III lines up to block against the Las Vegas Raiders on Jan. 5.

(Abbie Parr / Associated Press)

With Joe Alt sliding into the left tackle spot, Pipkins moves into a starting role on the opposite side after entering camp as a swing tackle, preparing for a scenario no one — including Pipkins — had hoped to see.

Harbaugh expressed confidence in the veteran — who started the preseason opener at left tackle and will now switch to right tackle — saying, “He really is one of our best guys.”

During his career, Pipkins has logged just over 3,000 snaps and started 41 games at tackle, a move he is comfortable with.

“His best position is tackle, and that move was made earlier this offseason,” Harbaugh added. “I have all the confidence in the world in Trey.”

Caleb Murphy’s drive

Chargers linebacker Caleb Murphy runs after the ball during a preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Thursday in Canton, Ohio.

(Kirk Irwin / Associated Press)

From the opening kickoff this preseason, Murphy’s influence has been immediate.

A special teamer trying to earn defensive snaps, Murphy sprinted downfield on the first play and forced a fumble, setting up the Chargers in scoring position. On defense, he showcased his pass-rushing ability, finishing with three tackles, including one for a loss.

In his second training camp with the team, the former undrafted free agent is growing comfortable in the defensive scheme, according to defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Minter says the “arrow is pointing up” for Murphy in a competitive room that also features fourth-round pick Kyle Kennard and second-year player Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, all vying for the fourth edge rusher spot.

Nikko Reed’s battle

Chargers cornerback Nikko Reed returns an interception during a preseason game against the Detroit Lions on July 31 in Canton, Ohio.

(Kirk Irwin / Associated Press)

With returning cornerbacks Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart and Ja’Sir Taylor — plus free-agent additions Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste — the odds are slim for an undrafted rookie to break into the rotation.

But Nikko Reed, the former Oregon Duck who has gone from virtual unknown to making high-impact coverage plays almost daily, is trying to beat the odds. His execution has translated from practice into a preseason game, with a near 60-yard pick-six last week.

“He’s definitely got a knack for making those types of plays,” Minter said.

Minter now wants to see if Reed can “take that next step” and consistently be that player — “doing that in practice, doing that in a couple more games.”

Wakefield: Jowitt, L Walmsley, Hall, Pratt, Myers, Trueman, Lino, McMeeken, Hood, Faatili, Griffin, Storton, Pitts

Interchanges: Atoni, Vangana, Cozza, Smith

Sin-bin: Pratt

St Helens: Sailor, Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Dagnall, Lomax, Mbye, A Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles

Interchanges: Paasi, Wingfield, Delaney, Burns

Sin-bin: Delaney

Referee: Liam Moore.

St Helens took full advantage of a sloppy Leeds Rhinos performance to claim a deserved Super League victory.

Kyle Feldt kicked two penalty goals for the home side in the opening 25 minutes before Deon Cross extended Saints’ advantage by darting over for the game’s first try on the stroke of half-time.

Leeds improved after the break and brought themselves back into the contest when Riley Lumb went over in the corner for his 10th try of the season.

However, a string of handling errors in stifling heat limited the Rhinos’ momentum, and tries from Owen Dagnall and Tristan Sailor guaranteed the points for an injury-hit Saints side.

Leeds stay third in the table on 20 points after their first defeat in six, while St Helens are fifth, two points behind.

Rhinos won 17-4 when the sides met last month, but they were below par from the off in Lancashire.

Feldt’s two penalty goals came after Harry Newman committed a high tackle and James Bentley strayed offside, and those infringements were reflective of an error-strewn first period from Brad Arthur’s side.

Leeds’ one real opportunity in the first half came via a Ryan Hall interception, but the veteran winger was halted by a superb tackle by player-of-the-match Harry Robertson.

And when Leeds coughed up possession in their own 20 not long after, Sailor released Cross, whose clever show-and-go deceived Hall and provided a clear path to the line.

Half-time offered much-needed respite for Rhinos, who came out with more intensity at the start of the second half.

They came back into the contest after a magnificent Lachie Miller break – the Australian full-back evading several tackles before moving the ball out wide, where Lumb dotted down.

Jarrod O’Connor went close for Leeds with a darting effort, and as the game opened up, the momentum swung back and forth before St Helens delivered a telling blow.

Off the back of a scrum, deft hands from Jonny Lomax and Sailor put Dagnall into space. He stepped off his left foot to score his second try in two starts and Feldt converted to make it a 10-point lead.

Leeds – who completed just 69% of their sets and made 16 errors – never truly looked like bridging that gap.

Sailor made sure for Saints when he burst through a gap in the final stages to make it 18-4.

Northampton: Ramm; Freeman, Dingwall (capt), Hutchinson, Litchfield; Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, Langdon, Davison, Mayanavanua, Lockett, Coles, Kemeny, Pollock.

Replacements: Wright, Haffar, Millar Mills, Prowse, Scott-Young, Weimann, Garside, Seabrook

Saracens: Goode; Elliott, Daly, Tompkins, Segun; Burke, van Zyl; Mawi, George, Riccioni, Itoje (capt), Isiekwe, Gonzalez, Earl, Willis.

Replacements: Dan, Brantingham, Clarey, Tizard, McFarland, Onyeama-Christie, Bracken, Hall.

Yellow card: Onyeama-Christie (72)

Referee: Luke Pearce