Hard work pays off as Sleightholme stars in first Saints start for more than nine months

Ollie Sleightholme scored twice for Saints against Harlequins (photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The talented wing had come off the bench in the previous two matches but he was handed a full 80 minutes against Quins.

And what an 80 minutes it was as Sleightholme started and finished the scoring for Saints on a night when they claimed a crucial bonus-point 36-33 Gallagher Premiership win at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.

"It makes all the hard work worthwhile, coming back, putting in a performance like that against a good team and doing what we do," Sleightholme said.

"It was definitely my re-entry to rugby. I didn't have much to do coming off the bench late on in the previous two games, but Friday was a full 80 and it allowed me to get into the game and do what I do.

"I just love being out there with the lads so I was buzzing to be back out there.

"It makes all the time I spent in the gym and the time I spent with the physios and strength and conditioning staff all worthwhile to come back out in front of a home crowd on a Friday night."

Sleightholme savoured the atmosphere under the Friday night lights.

He said: "You can't beat a Friday night here anywhere in Europe.

"At the start of the game, I was looking at Furbs. He was trying to tell me something but I couldn't hear him because of the crowd.

"Although I wanted to know what he was saying, it's such a buzz when you've got that noise and you've got that support."

It was a big game for the 23-year-old to play in after previously overcoming concussion and hamstring injuries that had kept him out for so long.

But he made the perfect start, finishing off a fine Saints move, and never looked back.

"You're always looking for something to get into the game, and that (scoring a try) was probably the number one thing you can do," Sleightholme said.

"It was a lung-busting game and I could feel every part of my body hurting after it because it was nine months without playing much rugby.

"It was probably a good game to watch because it was scrappy and they made it difficult.

"We had to be alive to everything because they attack from everywhere, they take things quickly.

"They're a dangerous team and, like we can, they can turn things around late in games.

"They're another team who can pull out 10 points in three minutes and that's normal for them."