Northampton Saints and Cardiff Rugby players were ordered down the tunnel after a security alert at Franklin's Gardens, with police called following their Investec Champions Cup clash. The incident occurred during Sunday evening's match, which Northampton won 28-12, prompting players from both sides to leave the pitch immediately after the final whistle.
Security Alert Prompts Immediate Evacuation
As a precaution, players from both teams were immediately ushered off the field following the final whistle, while the departure of supporters was closely monitored by stadium officials. Northampton Saints subsequently confirmed the incident in a statement, revealing that the club was working closely with Northamptonshire Police.
The statement read: "Northampton Saints can confirm that there was a security incident during the second half of this evening's match against Cardiff Rugby. As a precautionary measure, players from both teams left the field of play immediately following the final whistle."
Club Statements on the Incident
The statement continued: "The departure of supporters from the stadium was carefully monitored, and the club continues to work closely with Northamptonshire Police. The safety and wellbeing of everyone in attendance at Saints matches remains our highest priority, and we would like to thank supporters for their cooperation and understanding."
Cardiff Rugby also addressed the situation in a post on social media platform X, apologising to those who had travelled to support the team. The club said: "Our sincerest apologies to travelling supporters, players and staff were moved down the tunnel as quickly as possible after the full-time whistle due to a safety issue."
Next Steps for Cardiff
The Cardiff statement added: "Thank you for your fantastic support throughout tonight's match, and we'll see you at the Arms Park next Friday."
