Gloucester’s back division excelled as they outscored the league strugglers by four tries to one, with full-back Iain Balshaw, wing Lesley Vainikolo, number eight Luke Narraway and the outstanding Olly Barkley all crossing.

Fly-half Ryan Lamb added 13 points via three penalties and two conversions while Northampton’s points came from a Scott Gray try in the second half plus a penalty and conversion from full-back Stephen Myler.

Ryan was satisfied by the performance and said Lamb, in particular, has taken the season by the scruff of the neck after an in-and-out campaign last year.

He said: "We will make changes next week (against Calvisano in the Heineken Cup) because you cannot afford to have the same 15 players to get you through matches. We cannot afford to lose momentum and I would like to keep us on a roll through Christmas.

"For Olly to enter the fray today was ideal. He is still with England every Monday and Tuesday and then with us which is why he was on the bench.

"He is going to start next week and this would have been another week to look and watch us but it didn’t work that way.

"We still had six players out on international duty and we have benefited from some of the performances made by the youngsters today."