May 12 2006

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
May 12 2006

So there it goes in a flash, another season has passed us by. Overall, and considering what went before I think we can file this one away in the remarkable success folder.

Okay no silverware this time round but given the disarray we were in at the end of the Solomon’s reign and the way we only just clung on to top flight status last season this term has to be viewed as a huge plus.

To be back as a top six of the Guinness Premiership and by that placing qualify for the 2006/2007 Heineken Cup the Saints are back up where they belong but more importantly the foundations and building blocks for what looks like an exciting future have been put in place.

We’ve seen some great games, the recent clashes with Leicester and Bath at the Gardens spring to mind whilst I’m sure no one there will ever forget Carlos and his overhead kick in the demolition of Saracens.

Of course it wasn’t all plain sailing. Looking at the results it was a season of two halves. Whilst we were playing some entertaining rugby at the start of the season we were more often than not shipping more points than we were scoring and the serial whingers and moaners were having a field day (where are they now eh?). For me the seeds of the turning point came in early December in the Powergen Cup game against Tigers at Welford Road . Yes maybe another defeat but for the first time of the season we saw forward play overshadow what our backs were doing. The pack somewhat came of age that day as they fought toe to toe with the Leicester eight and for most of the game gave as good as they got.

On this platform our season gradually improved and indeed as someone pointed out this week, if the season had started at Christmas we would have topped the table a momentum it is hoped we will take into next September and the following months.

As for the players, each and every one has acquitted themselves well. In the front row Pat Barnard just looks like he may be our Garry Pagel whilst Tom Smith had one of his best seasons for the club and just like Gary Pearce may go on and on and on, on his current form. Chris Budgen also had his best season for the club. At hooker Wally takes the summer off to recharge those batteries but next season it could be a battle royal to be his understudy with the ever able Dan Richmond and young Dylan Hartley going head to head.

In the second row Damo Browne has come on leaps and bounds this season and is twice the player he was last year. Matt Lord, ever dependable and still a bit of an unsung hero always gives his all whilst I have a suspicion we may see a lot more of Frenchman David Gerard next season and it will be a welcome sight to see James Percival back on the paddock at some time.

A completely new backrow has come into its own in recent weeks. The other Browne, Daniel has made the No.8 shirt his own whilst alongside him fellow Kiwi Sam Harding and Ben Lewitt vie for the openside slot. At blindside we have what could be the most astute signing of the season in Paul Tupai. He is seen somewhat by most supporters as the ‘enforcer’ that Saints have been missing in recent years. His hard nosed no nonsense attitude shouldn’t detract from the fact that he’s a fair ball player too when needed and I think the guys well on the way to being a new Gardens favourite.

At halfback we had the former All Black combination of Sharky and Carlos.

The pair look to have a great understanding and Sharky looks like he enjoys playing inside his old team mate.

Carlos of course came with a huge reputation but not only did he live up to it but in some respects even exceeded it. As an entertainer there is none better, some of the things we have seen this year defy belief but the guy also has an astute rugby brain and his timing and vision that makes him in my mind the best player I’ve ever seen in the gold, black and green.

At centre Dave Quinlan looked solid and the kind of organiser we missed so much when John Leslie left whilst outside him young Jon Clarke has been a revelation. JC had somewhat disappeared down the pecking order as a back three player but hats off to Paul Grayson who switched him to outside centre where he has been one of the form players of the season and been touted as a future international.

And to that back three of Ben Cohen, Bruce Reihana and Sean Lamont. Well at full tilt they must scare the hell out of the opposition and in the last few weeks it looks like the trio are building a rappore and understanding (even if they do keep nicking each others tries), I’m expecting big things next year.

With the likes of Seamus Mallon, Robbie Kydd also to return we look like we have a squad to compete and whilst there may be minor tinkering over the summer we have the backbone of a potentially great Saints side, time will tell. I have not mentioned all the players and apologies to those I didn’t but each and every one of you did us proud this season.

And so in signing off for another season, thanks to all of you for reading these ramblings for the last few months. Enjoy your summer, we have a lot o look forward too come September.

May 4 2006

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
May 4 2006

What a day it was for Saints and their followers on Sunday? To use the old clichés it was victory grabbed from the jaws of defeat and not so much a game of two halves but a game of 70 and 10 minutes as Saints stormed back in the late, late show to overturn a 16-0 deficit into a remarkable 16-19 win.

Now whether it was as suggested a flurry of substitutions that unsettled the home side or the lads finally sensing blood and upping it a gear at the death is open to argument but two quickfire tries from Wally and Monty set up the finale to a memorable game, unless of course you discount the first hour or so where Saints could just not get the blend to mix.

That was all forgotten though when young Mr Cohen stormed over the whitewash seven minutes into injury time to seal the win that secured Saints second objective of the season.

The first, survival in the Guinness Premiership, was secured a month ago but what looked like mission impossible just before Christmas is now mission accomplished as Saints again take a seat at the top table with qualification for next seasons Heineken Cup with a whole six days of the regular season to spare. Worthy as the European Challenge Cup may be it will be good to back mixing it with the big boys of Northern Hemisphere rugby next term as watching the tournament over the last few weeks you get that feeling that there is a great party going on elsewhere that someone forgot to invite you to.

IT AINT OVER TILL....

Trying to be totally PC, they say it aint over till the slightly larger than average female bangs out a tune, something I’m sure a few Saints supporters will be bearing in mind in future after Sunday. Given the quality of performance at the Memorial Ground a small number of supporters gave up the ghost late in the game and traipsed off dejectedly to steal a march on the others heading home up the M4. Some we hear were not even aware that Saints had won till they got home later in the evening, shocked to hear they not only missed the victory but the post match celebrations too.

Of course it is their choice, everyone can come and go as they please but one day it was sure to happen and on Sunday it did. I guess now a few more might think twice before upping sticks.

WELL DONE TO THE COBBLERS

I know this is a rugby column but I couldn’t let the occasion go by without saying well done to Northampton Town for sealing their promotion on Saturday. As a lad in the 70’s I spent many a winter’s afternoon watching the likes of Paul Stratford, Jim Hall and Derrick Christie weaving their magic from the terraces of the Hotel Ground at the old County Ground so it is good to see the Cobblers climbing once more. In David Cardoza they look to have their own fledgling Keith Barwell, a guy that’s trying to make things happen for the club which in turn benefits the whole community.

There’s been a lot of daftness lately by a small but vociferous element trying to drive a wedge between the Cobblers and the Saints exploiting the perceived differences between the club, the sports and the supporters. Some would have you believe the rugby crowd are aloof and arrogant and that all the footie set are unruly oiks. Not true, people from all walks of life follow both clubs. We all have our good, bad and ugly. Fair enough if one code is not the sport of your choice then so be it but do people really have to go to such lengths in attacking each other as we have seen on message boards and in the Fan Zone section of this paper. In fact in recent weeks I’ve read things from both sides of the fence that would even confirm the above statements should you not know better. And supporters of both clubs are as guilty as the other of fuelling the fire.

In my mind the only difference between us is the shape of our balls and whilst there is debate if Northampton is a rugby or a football town surely with the Cobblers getting promotion, the Saints qualifying for the Heineken Cup and even the cricket side having their first international in a while in Monty Panesar would it not be far better to be known purely as a ‘sporting’ town. Whilst we are all hitting the heights can’t we all just get along and the whole town reflect in the glory rather than magnify these petty, childish divisions that this small minority are trying to inflame.

LOOKING AHEAD

So on to Saturday, the last game of the season sees the visit of Sale to the Gardens.

It is somewhat of a dead rubber as far as the Guinness Premiership is concerned, sale have already secured top spot and a home semi final championship spot, Saints cannot rise any further than sixth in the league nor can they be overtaken. So its pride at stake.

It is anyone’s guess what the starting lineups will be. With a greater target ahead I guess Phillipe Saint-Andre may be tempted to rest his walking wounded for a few more days though he may opt for momentum going into the semis. For Saints it would be good to see us go out in a blaze of glory, not risk anyone unduly but I suspect after the last couple of seasons I guess we owe Sale one. More than anything though, whatever the result it will be a time to celeberate. Given how the club was 12 months ago and where we stand now I think theres plenty of reason for that. See you there.

April 13 2006

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
April 13 2006

I made a point of not touching on this issue but circumstances and accusations have forced my hand. There has been some discussion in recent weeks about individuals questioning the commitment of certain players. Quite rightly a family member took exception to some remarks and commented on them.

In reply the main rugby writer of this paper, Terry Morris, clearly stated the source of these grumblings as the clubs official (that’s ‘official’) website, a statement that was repeated in this paper on Saturday. In his original article on the matter Terry went as far as to call those comments by the family member ‘mystifying’, ‘remarkable’ and ‘an astonishing attack’

How very strange then that the very same writer chose to reprise the subject again last week turn it on its head and besmirch the contributors of the Saints unofficial (that’s ‘unofficial’) website comeonyousaints.com and by inference suggest that three named writers were responsible for written attacks on players when it only takes a little bit of research to find this is totally untrue.

As one of those people named by Terry to say I was extremely angry at his ‘scurrilous accusations’ would be putting it lightly. Fair play, Terry can call me a socially challenged cyber saddo, in fact he can call me what he wants I’m past caring, though just like he suggests with the players, I’d like to see him say it to my face. But mostly his insults are water off a ducks back, however what is not on is Terry suggesting in print that I, and the others named, are guilty of attacking players online. Untrue, totally untrue.

My views online pretty much reflect what I say on here. I may say collectively the lads had an off day and things did not work out but I never ever single out a player for individual criticism either in the Chron or on comeonyousaints.com.
To be honest I do not feel it’s my place, I’m not paid to be controversial, I write this column as a follower of the club, nothing more nothing less. I may have criticised the club in the past for some of the off field activities the closing of bars etc but I’m not about to mud sling against people who put their bodies on the line each week for my entertainment, heck I was even the guy that pleaded through these pages for supporters to cut Robbie Kempson a bit of slack when all and sundry were on his case.

Of course Terry would tell you that that is sycophancy but I’m not here to be objective I’d prefer to think it’s that word support in supporter. To slate is just not my style.

In fact I feel so strongly on the matter that I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is. If Terry can find one instance of me, either online or in this paper, giving a member of the Saints playing staff individual unwarranted stick I’ll pay £1000 to a rugby charity of his choice. If he cannot find that evidence, and don’t bother Terry I know its not there, I expect an apology.

As for the comeonyousaints.com site itself I also think Terry is doing it a great disservice. I’ve picked out several of his missives and replied by way of explanation.

TM: “posters ceaselessly trawl the internet for stories created by news agencies and other media they don't pay for”

I am not sure if this is a basic misunderstanding of how the internet actually works or the writer is suggesting something darker. If there is news about the Saints that is of interest to the readers of the site someone links to it. The work is not copied and produced elsewhere it is merely directed too, that’s how the internet works. The ironic thing is we link to the Chron site which contains Terry’s work, and I’m willing to bet we are one of their highest traffic suppliers, which in turn sells their advertising. And guess who the Chron links too in return, yes comeonyousaints.com. Are we complaining, no not in the least. It is pretty fair to say if there is Saints related news out there, it will be linked to via the site before you read it in print, but that’s the power and speed of the medium. You might read it first online but that’s the nature of the beast.

Of course if this statement is instead a hint of plagiarism or breach of copyright again it’s not correct. We have always been red hot on this subject since some of our own work was taken lock stock and barrel and reproduced elsewhere and we had to get legal advice on the matter. What does appear on the site is either totally original work or on very odd occasions accredited press releases with the total permission of the agency concerned.

TM:“a certain poster has sent in more than 10,000 messages”

Yep hands up, that’s me. Though suggesting this was over a twelve month period was again factually incorrect. The sites now in its tenth year, and at its current location shows that I’m guilty of posting an average of a whole eight, yes eight messages a day. Given that for many of the years I was the moderator of the message board, stopping some of the crimes we have been accused of carrying out, then it does not seem that over the top even to a cyber saddo like me.

TM: “they communicate in short, slangy half-sentences.”

Incorrect, responses may be a single word or twenty sentences long. We are not writing novels we are conversing and we do insist on the Queens English, no text speak.

TM: “they hide behind the anonymous cloak of often ludicrous nicknames”

Open your ears Terry, people call each other by nicknames in all walks of life.
Ask the players what they call each other sometime.
Suggesting its some kind of sinister cloak is ludicrous in itself. Certainly as one of those you named I have nothing to hide (if in doubt that’s my name in big letters at the top of the page), Everyone that reads the site knows my identity as they do the others you named, Simon Robinson and Phil Hollis. A little research from anyone could have told you that.

TM: “they appear to be small, tightly knit groups of friends”

Again not true.
Here are some figures for you. In March the site had over 30,000 individuals visiting it, around 400 individuals posting messages and it has a yearly hit count approaching 5.5 million. Small tight knit group? Not quite. Granted some readers are friends, two Mark and Lorraine even met via the site, got spliced and have just had their first child Mathew, but that’s not the case across the board. We have readers and contributors from all round the world, from Moscow to Taranaki from Bahrain to Ecton Brook. It’s a broad church.

TM: “a refuge for the socially challenged”
Well again lets look at the facts.
In the past comeonyousaints.com has organised the meeting places for supporters on trips to Agen, Biarritz, Narbonne and Toulouse. They have organised several quiz nights one of which, for Jon Phillips testimonial, attracted over 120 people to the club. The sites charity walk that’s getting near triple figure participation and it is supported by all 12 Guinness premiership teams and their fans. Apart from the other various other nights out, events etc there’s the case of a little get together organized by the site on the other side of the planet during the recent Lions tour when over one hundred people turned up on a cold night in Auckland. It might also interest Terry to know the site also has one or two tables at the various club dinners. What an unsocialable bunch eh?

But at the end of the day what annoyed me most about Terry’s rant was the muddying of a good name that has done some good work since its inception and mud tends to stick.

Perhaps people will now overlook the fact that in the last ten years the comeonyousaints.com community has raised over £70,000 for charity. Only this week, Simon Robinson, another of those named by Terry, raised over a thousand pounds for St Johns Ambulance equipment to be used at the Gardens. What is also overlooked is a community support structure that has helped members of the online community in times of trouble or ill health.

Concerns have also been raised this week about how these allegations affect our relationship with the club itself. As a group at comeonyousaints.com we club together each year to raise a couple of thousand pounds to sponsor a player. In the past we has sponsored Gary Pagel and Chris Budgen, this year its Luke Myring. The great and the good at the club have also supported our charity efforts some even taking a very active part. Terry by his inference has somewhat damaged that relationship.

I wrote this article, not as an attack on Terry, he has a job to do as he see’s fit but the record did need putting straight, however, apology forthcoming, when this becomes tomorrows chip paper, lets hope it can be put behind everyone concerned.

March 31 2006

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
March 31 2006

So just about the perfect weekend for Northampton. The five try, five point victory over the Falcons up at Newcastle on Sunday, and with other results going our way, saw the Saints shot from tenth to sixth in the Guinness Premiership table in a matter of a couple of hours.

The aim now will be to consolidate that position and with a bit of luck climb higher given the erratic form of Gloucester and London Irish immediately above us. It’s a tall order with just four games left and some matters are pretty much out of our hands but even a top four finish and a championship semi final spot is not outside the realms of possibility given the run in of the two aforementioned clubs. It may be counting chickens a little early but in the topsy turvey world of the GP you just never know. One thing is for sure, now this team has gelled and has built its confidence over the last few months, (still just one defeat in 2006) come next season we will be hitting the ground running and will be a match for anyone.

It’s a break away from the GP this week. Before we take on Bath at the Gardens in two weeks time we have the European Challenge Cup quarter final against Worcester at the same venue this Saturday. The EEC still has high importance. Even given Saints rise to sixth place the winner of this competition rates higher in the criteria for Heineken Cup qualification than ending fifth or sixth in the GP so progress is essential. Worcester have been having an erratic time of it themselves lately. Two weeks ago they hammered champions Wasps at Sixways yet last week lost by a similar margin at lowly Saracens. They are no mugs though and having already sneaked a win at the Gardens this season they will be looking to repeat the feat.
I think on current form though that we will have the edge on them and progress to the semi finals.

Just who our semi opponents will be should we overcome Worcester is open to question. We are due to play the winners of the Gloucester v Brive quarter final away. Given the form of Brive, and the history of French teams not travelling well in Europe I am sure like most of you I had this down as a trip to Kingsholm. However at time of writing it is not clear if Gloucester can fulfil the fixture on Saturday due to an injury crisis that leaves them short of registered players for Europe. Should this be the case, or should the fixture take place and Brive prevail, instead of a journey to darkest Gloucestershire on the weekend of 22nd/23rd of April it could be a trip to the Limousin region of France. Should this be the case I’ll have more details on Brive and how to get there (and hopefully back) for you next week.

After Saturdays game the Saints Supporters Club, with the help of matchday sponsors Mira, have arranged for some post match entertainment in the shape of band The Big City All-Stars in the Rodber Suite from 6:00 till 8:00. All welcome.

EUROPE OR WORLD?

And so to this weeks political rumblings in the game. Further to last weeks report that there are suggestions that both English and French clubs will be boycotting the Heineken Cup after the final in 2007 when the current agreement runs out, French league president Serge Blanco has added further fuel to the fire by suggesting a World Club championship is the way forward. Apart from his own countries clubs Blanco, the chairman of Biarritz, claims he already has the backing of the English and some Super14 sides including the Crusaders. Of course this may just be pie in the sky and may only be a bargaining tool for the French and English clubs to get their own way on a revamped European Cup but it certainly whets the appetite. If it did happen and Saints secured themselves a place in this new competition I am sure no one would turn down the chance to see the the team play a competitive game in the likes of Auckland, Sydney or Cape Town every other year. Now will the supporters club be running a bus?

FRIDAY NIGHT

What a good evening it was on Friday at the Gardens. Although I guess there were a few aching limbs from some of the Old Boys and Legends on Saturday morning the guys put on a great display that was enjoyable to watch. Well done.
Hats off to the Saints Academy and their Leicester counterparts too. In a hard fought game Northampton lads overcame our rivals from down the road. As this was a fund raiser for young player who will never play rugby again I thought the game was a fitting spectacle and in a week where the hierarchy at the RFU were questioning the quality of players at this level a sign that at least at both Saints and Tigers we are heading in the right direction as far as youth is concerned.
And a third and final well done for those that organised the evening and especially the SSC who organised a bucket shake that added a further £2795 to the appeal funds.

AND THANK YOU PETER WALTON

And a huge thank you to Peter Walton. I am sure the Newcastle forwards coach’s comments about certain Saints players living outside the laws of the game were well noted at the club and may well have been pinned on the dressing room wall pre-match. It did make me smile though when ex-Saint Pete said he would be having a word with the referee before the game pointing out our perceived n’er do wells and how he should handle them. Given that the referee was Tony Spreadbury, probably the most experienced of all English referees, I thought it was a bit like me trying to tell Michaelangelo how to paint his kitchen.
On a serious point though, do we really need this in the game. Other sports have only dragged themselves through the mud once the whinger and bleater becomes the norm.
I thought rugby’s answer to Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson had been sacked by Sarries a few weeks ago, we don’t really need anyone in the game to follow his lead

March 20 2006

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
March 20 2006

A close run thing on Saturday at the Gardens but the lads held out to secure the four points that keeps us in a handy place in the league. The win sees us just three points off that elusive sixth place in the Guinness Premiership.

A close run thing on Saturday at the Gardens but the lads held out to secure the four points that keeps us in a handy place in the league. The win sees us just three points off that elusive sixth place in the Guinness Premiership and whilst Paul Grayson insists we must still be looking over our shoulder in the remaining five games bottom placed Leeds would have to secure 11 more of the 25 points available to topple the Saints, not impossible maybe but a very tall order for any club.

As for the game itself well I think Saints did just enough to deserve the victory, even looking round the Gloucester websites on Sunday there were no supporters claiming “we woz robbed”, (which after a one point loss it has to be said was a refreshing change, yes even from the two Saints sites). Overall the pack had them under the cosh for long periods, with both veteran Tom Smith and the new boy on the block, Pat Barnard outstanding and whilst we never quite fired in the backs this week Gloucester only really dominated the game in the closing moments when they came back within an inch of stealing it.

Again there was talk afterwards amongst supporters about refereeing decisions but to give Mr Pearson his due he treated both sides in exactly the same manner when their scrum began to creek though some might question how many penalties on the line result in a penalty try being awarded. To be fair though from a Saints perspective, in reflection it was a timely way to see the countdown clock run down in those last few minutes.

Having been shown on Sky’s Rugby Club as being one of the worst form teams over the last few months on international weekends we can now look forward to welcoming back Ben, Wally, Dylan and Monty for the trip to Newcastle in two weeks time and for the run in to season end.

SIX NATIONS

Saturday sees the culmination of the Six Nations with three back to back games which will decide if France or Ireland win this years championship. As an Englishman this years 6N has been nothing to shout about. After the false dawn in the dismantling of Wales there has been little of cheer and after the heavy defeat by France talk of axes being wielded and further changes to the structure of the game in this country are being suggested.

I wrote last week about the rumour of a ringfenced premiership and suggested at the time that maybe it was just that, a rumour, however a quote from Martyn Thomas, the chairman of the Rugby Football Union's management board on Monday seemed to confirm something is on the table. Thomas stated that “What should also be taken into account is that our players are playing too much. Added to that is the attritional style of play in the Premiership which makes it harder for Andy (Robinson) to realise his vision of a bolder game.
"We have to sort out the structure of our season. The clubs say that the fear of relegation inhibits them, but if there is to be a change in that the RFU would want a greater say in the management of elite players as a quid pro quo."

If you are a regular reader of this column you will know my views on this, the structure we have at present is the same structure that won a World Cup and ringfencing would in my book soften the competition somewhat with a whole raft of meaningless games but it looks like we may well see that closed shop in the near future. Of course it would be all too simple to point to the obvious and say sorry but Andy Robinsons not up to the job.
The question is if England continue to fail what excuse or solution will they come up with post RWC 07. I’d almost put money on the word ‘draft’ coming into rugby vocabulary before the decades out with the centrally contracted elite farmed out to clubs as England see fit.

Then would we see the likes of England’s first choice and the England U21 hooker playing at the same club? I guess not...

There are rumblings from Europe this week too with a threatened boycott by French and English clubs of the Heineken Cup over the inequality of qualifiers between the three main leagues, The Celtic League, The Guinness Premiership and Frances’s Top14. At present virtually every Celtic team qualifies while only half the GP and T14 have this season. Given how the French and English clubs dominate the competition I think they have a point.
There is of course one simple solution. The two best runners up spots for the quarter final places (although we have qualified ourselves through this route) could be axed and a further two groups of four created. To placate the CL you could use two of the places for Connact and Borders, who always seem to miss out, and award three extra places each to England and France. As for the runners up in each group, why not a knockout Heineken Shield as compensation? The Challenge Cup could continue as before with the inclusion of more teams from ‘smaller’ nations which would in turn expand the game.
But then again this whole exercise might just be about people flexing their collective muscles.

ON THE BOX

A new sports channel appeared on the airwaves on Monday. ESPN Classic, which those of you with Digital can find on channel 442, has a fair smattering of rugby on offer. There are games from the last few world cups in the first couple of weeks schedules featuring all the top nations whilst further ahead they will be featuring classic British Lions tours. 

March 3 2006

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
March 3 2006

Well back to earth with a bump somewhat. After the eight try landslide victory over Saracens at the Gardens last week it was more of an uphill battle in the defeat at Reading on Sunday at the hands of London Irish.

It was said, even by some Exiles supporters, that the 30-3 scoreline was not really a true reflection of the game but Saints had one of those days, where despite almost a parity in possession things just did not fall right for them on the day. Sadly, just to rub salt into the wound just about everything Irish tried bore fruit.

Making no excuses, losing the back three of Ben, Bruce and Monty was bound to effect our strike rate though other aspects of the game I am sure will be focused on in training in the two weeks running up to the Gloucester game at the Gardens a week on Saturday when we will again be losing players to international calls.

With six games to go now in the Guinness Premiership the weekend’s results leave a lot of final placings finely in the balance. From a Saints point of view despite Sundays loss we still sit just three points off that all important sixth place in the GP table that could, (although it is not definite) secure a place in next years Heineken Cup. With a tightening up in the middle of the table after last weeks round, and with five teams sitting below that sixth position all within four points, the scramble could well go down to the wire. In Saints favour four of those six games are at home albeit with three of them against top five sides while the two away games at Newcastle and Bristol might be the kind of games we might get something out of and every point come that last game of the season may prove crucial.

Elsewhere at the top of the table Sale and Wasps now look almost certs for the championship semis while Gloucester, Tigers and this years dark horses Irish fight it out for the last two spots. At the basement Leeds look like they are timing their Houdini act to perfection once more while Saracens look to be in freefall and in real trouble. One thing is for sure, with all twelve GP teams fighting for various objectives there is a lot of mileage left in this season yet and plenty more twists and turns no doubt on the way. Come the 6th of May and our last game of the season again Sale at the Gardens things might look a lot different but here’s hoping we are aiming for something a bit higher than we were at lasts years finale at Worcester.

With interest for all teams in the table still strong it has come as somewhat of a surprise that the subject of ringfencing has been mentioned once more. The latest ‘leaked’ plan is for a 14 team Guinness Premiership with the existing participants joined by Harlequins and the Cornish Pirates in a 14 team closed shop competition.
Now of course this plan might just have been dreamed up on a rugby journalists typewriter but when you hear rumblings yet again from within the RFU and the England set up about how relegation is affecting the national side, and marry that to Premier Rugby Chief Executive Mark McCafferty waving a piece of paper this week saying we have peace in our time between the RFU and the PRL with not a sabre rattled in court, the conspiracy theorists amongst us start to suspect that someone somewhere is discussing this behind closed doors.

I hope not. Whilst I am sure, like most followers of the game, I would welcome a visit to the hotbed of rugby in Cornwall I’m not sure that’s a fair trade for potentially watching half a season of meaningless games where the only object would be securing a bigger slice of the prize money cake. With clubs investing in ground improvement and increased capacities, only this week Keith Barwell suggested the Gardens would be expanded to 17,000 places, some might find themselves playing in front of an awful lot of empty seats come season end.

February 23 2006

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
February 23 2006

Another win for the Saints on Saturday at the Gardens and what a victory it was. The game against Saracens looked like a potential banana skin before the off but once we lulled them into a false sense of security by giving them a ten point start it was Gold, Black and Green non-stop traffic.

For the next hour or so the lads rattled up eight tries and 58 points in one of the best displays we have seen from a Saints side in the last few years, if ever. It was a display that had always looked like being on the cards over the last few weeks and on Saturday it all slotted into place.

The record books will show Sean Lamont had the highest points tally with his four tries but I am sure the moment of the game that will live longest in the memory was the sublime bit of wizardry from Maestro Spencer that almost resulted in what would have surely been the Guinness Premierships try of the season, if not decade, century, millennia. For those of you that have not seen it, and a reminder for those that have, Carlos took a Chris Budgen pass that was high and behind him which left the New Zealander facing our posts deep in our half. Now usually that would mean a short pass back to a supporting player but no, not for Carlos. Instead there was an audacious backward flick over his head with his boot, a spin on a sixpence then an incredible taking of the ball after a single bounce in one hand then a popped pass inside to Sharky Robinson.

Unfortunately after the ball was quickly sent to the wing via Steve Thompson it was knocked from Ben Cohen’s grasp as he was about to go over in the corner. The try would have been a fitting reward for those few seconds of Kiwi magic, it wasn’t to be but when most of what the Saints XV did attempt did reap rewards over the afternoon it would be churlish to complain, it was worth the admission price alone.

So while it was the backs who were weaving all the magic a special mention has to go to the forwards. After the game at Vicarage Road earlier this season where the Sarries pack strangled the life out of the game there was always a danger that the same could happen again especially given what the Watford based team had done to Bath in the second half the previous week. Our lads did not let them settle though and harried the likes of Yates and the cornerstone Visagie all afternoon. The lineout was assured and the back row of Paul Tupai, Dan Browne and Sam Harding all over the shop not letting their opposite numbers get a look in. On this platform the game was won and not tempting fate, it really does look like the Saints are back.

ON TO IRISH

The good work can continue at the ‘Madstad’ Reading on Sunday when the Saints travel south for an early 1:00pm kick off against London Irish. The Exiles are having one of their best seasons for the last few years. They currently sit fifth just three points off a Championship semi final spot but as always (and I write this each and every season) you never quite know which London Irish is going to turn up. It must be very frustrating for their support, and lord knows after last season we know all about that, but it must be irritating seeing your team win at places like Gloucester one week then lose to lowly Newcastle at home the next. Having said that a look at the stats shows they have won only three of their seven home games in the GP this season and given that in all competitions the Saints have won seven of the nine games they have played at the Madejski getting something out of this game is certainly attainable, especially given last weeks form. Could we pull off the win and Leeds, who pushed table toppers Sale so close last week, defeat Worcester then we will be in a top six spot and that elusive Heineken Cup spot that little bit closer. Not counting any chickens yet but things are starting to get that little bit more interesting in outlook this season.

BUDGE ON THE LINE

I am sure a few of you reading this will have got the telephone call from Budge Pountney one evening last week. Like most I was slightly taken about to pick up the phone and hear ‘Hello Budge Pountney from the Saints here’. My first thought was, whoops, what on earth did I put in the paper last week that has caused the head honcho to ring me and complain and it took me a second or two trying to get a word in edgeways about how I even liked the music now though I’m still not happy about the bars shutting at Christmas before I realised it was a recorded message reminding me I had not ordered my ticket for the European quarter final. A good move by the club, like a few others it had completely escaped my mind about purchasing for the game. Two points, the club could have saved themselves a few quid if they had a comprehensive database of the many thousand of us now on email, perhaps we could register through the clubs website or something, and Budge if you’re reading this can you call my Dad in August and remind him of his wedding anniversary?

SIX NATIONS

It is Six Nations time again this weekend and the chance to Ben Cohen and Sean Lamont come face to face in the Calcutta Cup game in Edinburgh on Saturday. Being an Englishman I’m hoping ‘Monty’ has a quieter weekend than he had last week.
It was good to see Jon Clarke get a call to the full squad this week. Despite earlier reservations about his lack of experience in his new position and believing he should be given time to develop his continued improving form really deserves the call. Well done Jon.