'Embarrassing Bristol defeat not a great look for the Prem'

'Embarrassing Bristol defeat not a great look for the Prem'Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Northampton scored 14 tries against Bristol on FridayByChris JonesRugby union correspondentPublished16 minutes agoWhen do lots of tries become too many tries?There was so much to enjoy in Northampton's play in the record 94-33 demolition of Bristol on Friday evening, but this was an embarrassing result for the Bears and not a great look for the league.Attack is king in the game at the moment - whether because of laws, coaching, officiating or conditions, or a combination of all of the above.Even in international rugby, where matches are traditionally tighter and cagier, tries have been scored by the bucketload, with France's final two Six Nations matches high-scoring thrillers which would have captivated supporters both casual and hardcore.But points for the sake of it misses the, well, point. Tries are great, but the beauty of rugby union is the balance of all the various facets of the game, defence included.Many neutral fans - if not most - would prefer a low-scoring contest where the result is in the balance, over a high-scoring blowout where the outcome is settled after 30 minutes – as was the case at the Gardens.What was even more peculiar about Bristol's capitulation was how much they had riding on the game. This was not something that can be explained by a lack of promotion and relegation.Bottom-placed Newcastle, meanwhile, have now shipped 764 points in their 16 matches, an average of just short of 50 points a game.Next season cannot come soon enough for the Red Bulls, while the Bears simply must win against bitter rivals Bath next round to stay in the play-off hunt.Mature Smith drives Quins comebackGiven the number of one-sided thrashings across the league this season, Harlequins supporters would have feared the worst when the classy Wallaby Len Ikitau crashed over for Exeter just after the half-hour mark to extend their lead to 24-7....