'Relaxed' Thompson shines

Had it not been for Steve Thompson, England manager Clive Woodward's only benefit from visiting the East Midlands on Saturday would have been his petrol expenses.

Amid a shambolic comedy of errors at Franklin's Gardens, Northampton's hooker kept his head clear of the general tide of mediocrity for long enough to provide Woodward with a case for re-assessing the current national pecking order at No.2.

In a largely one-sided duel with Phil Greening - the Lions and England second choice - Thompson, 23, produced a storming display as the Saints marked Wayne Smith's first game as coach with a 23-10 victory over Wasps. He showed impressive control throwing at the line-out, tackled with relish and made good ground with a series of surging runs - all of which he attributed to a regular starting place. 'I'm more relaxed,' he said.

'Before you never knew if you were going to be dropped one week or play the next, but now I'm flourishing.' He added: 'It was a good battle between myself and Phil.'

Thompson, named last week in England's development squad, played down any suggestion of international recognition. 'I didn't even know Clive Woodward was watching,' he said.

Northampton's director of rugby John Steele did. 'Steve will make that breakthrough at international level soon,' he said. Wasps went ahead when Mark Denney burst on to Alex King's inside pass to run in at the posts.

But they were undone by sloppy handling which gifted a try to James Brooks. After the break, Paul Grayson's composed kicking eased his side to victory.

Yet Smith was under no illusions about the task facing him. He said: 'We've got a lot of work to do. We've got to make improvements in every area.' Wasps' director of rugby Nigel Melville remained optimistic. He said: 'We are getting better. I haven't done anything different this year than I've done any other year and it's worked for the last six years - so I'm sure it will work again.'