Well a dip on that emotional rollercoaster that is a Saints season this week with the loss to London Irish. It really was just one of those days where we seemed to play all the rugby, Irish played the referee and the referee, well I’m not quite sure what he was playing.
A frustrating day all round but you could not fault the players for effort or indeed point the finger at any individual for mistakes it was just one of those collective days where nowt seems to go right no matter how hard you try. On another day with the rub of the green the Exiles could well have been buried by half time but it was just not to be on Saturday.
One pleasing part of the day was the continued impression that Shane Drahm is making at flyhalf since arriving from Bristol. I know this will be sacrilege to some of Paul Grayson’s admirers (and I guess I’m off John Steele’s Xmas card list already) but Shane is shaping up rapidly as the best No.10 we have had at the club in many a year.
His kicking is top notch and he can create and ask questions of a teams defence with just a shrug of his shoulder as he did when he ghosted through the Irish defenders when scoring on Saturday. Now don’t get me wrong Larry has been a great servant to the club, getting us out of many a hole over the years and I’m not writing him off yet, (we all did that two years ago and on Sunday he played for England!) but Shane looks like he could be the lynchpin of the team for many years to come. It could be very interesting when the lads return from down under but then, just as with Daws, Jonny Howard and Sharky Robinson a little competition for places should raise peoples games all round. That can only be good for the Saints.
LOOKING AHEAD
This weekend sees the visit of young Mr Andrews Newcastle. They come of course without the talismatic Jonny Wilkinson but still have the likes of Noon, Stephenson and Mayerhofler in their backs who can cause all kind of problems. There is no doubt however that they have the most uncompromising second row in the division, probably any division in the universe come to that. The Springboks most capped and most abrasive (now that’s saying something!) forward Mark Andrews teams up with Gardens favourite Gareth Archer in a combination that most people would put money on not completing 80 minutes. Lets hope referee Mr Ashton-Jones is up to task and we do not get another repeat of Mr Archers peculiar kind of floorshow that has seen him get more yellow and red cards at the Gardens than Jon Phillips has had haircuts.
The game kicks off late at 4:00pm on Saturday so that everyone can watch the England v South Africa games on the large screens at the club. I’m sure you all remember the last time we played a late kick off game against the Falcons, lets hope its an omen.
After an afternoon of hurricane force winds when parts of the Saints tented village made their way down Abbey Street the Saints kicked off at 6:00pm against Newcastle in a Powergen Cup semi final in March 2002. The lads booked their place at Twickers playing one of the most complete halfs of fifteen man rugby seen at the Gardens. If we can come anywhere near that display on Saturday all would be well with the world.
THE WALK
I wrote last week about a supporter, Jacka, on our Saints with Heart walk who was sponsored by a group of Tigers fans to wear a Leicester shirt. Taking up the challenge Jacka in turn set up a sponsor race between the two clubs. Whichever set of fans pledged the most to him before Friday evening would earn the right to have their shirt worn. What initially started as a joke soon snowballed and by the end of business over sixteen hundred pounds had been raised. The Saints edged it slightly but in all fairness those down the road had done a sterling job (unlike their team this season) so Jacka wore both shirts on the day. He was however quite surprised to find that the Tigers shirt, one worn by Darren Garforth in a European tie, fitted him like a glove!
As for the walk itself it was a good day all round and we hope to have raised in the region of £8,000 for the British Heart Foundation. All forty walkers, the organisers and the weather all came up trumps and even Anglia television came out to film the occasion. The only dark spot on the day was due to a communication breakdown we managed to lose Maggie Barwell, Keith’s wife, along the way. She was at one end of Blisworth Tunnel while we were all at the other. Happily Maggie and friend made it in later in the day none the worse for wear and we hope it does not deter her too much from taking part next time round at what is now an annual event.
Special mention must also go to two London Irish supporters, Marie and Pete, who joined us on the 16 mile trek, they were the life and soul of the party (who would have thought?) and just goes to show that while other sports may be having problem upon problem at the moment the camaraderie and spirit of rugby is alive and well.
If you still wish to donate its not too late, email coysdc@aol.com for details.
WORLD CUP
Well after all the hype it was good to see the World Cup finally kick off on Friday. Tom Smith made a quiet start for Scotland as they struggled to break down Japan but all four Saints managed to get on the scoreboard for England against Georgia. However listening to ITVs less than impressive commentary you would have thought differently. Despite him leaving the field with an injury that may put him out of Saturdays game Daws returned in several different guises including one where he looked remarkably like Paul Grayson setting Ben up for his first try. I’m also looking forward to seeing that new Saint Steve TOMPKINS when the tournament is over! Now I never thought I would hear myself say this but I almost hanker for the professionalism of Stuart Barnes and Brian Moore.
Its not just the commentators that are under pressure at the RWC. The referees are having an unsure time of it too. Is it just me or are some refs hiding behind the video replays too often? Fair enough there have been some split decisions but overuse seems to be killing off the flow of some games.
At the moment in the Zurich Premiership this facility can only be used in televised games, even the all seeing eye of our good friend Mr Rowden had recourse to call on it on Saturday, but please, please, please do not let the powers that be install this across every ZP clash. I would have been quite happy for an extra half hour on Saturday out in the glorious October sunshine while Mr Pearson deliberated the whys and wherefores but come darkest January I’m not too sure I still want to be standing in brass monkeys weather on the Gordon Terrace at nine o’clock on a Saturday night while Steve Lander decides for the umpteenth time whether a penalty try was grounded or not!
.
One pleasing part of the day was the continued impression that Shane Drahm is making at flyhalf since arriving from Bristol. I know this will be sacrilege to some of Paul Grayson’s admirers (and I guess I’m off John Steele’s Xmas card list already) but Shane is shaping up rapidly as the best No.10 we have had at the club in many a year.
His kicking is top notch and he can create and ask questions of a teams defence with just a shrug of his shoulder as he did when he ghosted through the Irish defenders when scoring on Saturday. Now don’t get me wrong Larry has been a great servant to the club, getting us out of many a hole over the years and I’m not writing him off yet, (we all did that two years ago and on Sunday he played for England!) but Shane looks like he could be the lynchpin of the team for many years to come. It could be very interesting when the lads return from down under but then, just as with Daws, Jonny Howard and Sharky Robinson a little competition for places should raise peoples games all round. That can only be good for the Saints.
LOOKING AHEAD
This weekend sees the visit of young Mr Andrews Newcastle. They come of course without the talismatic Jonny Wilkinson but still have the likes of Noon, Stephenson and Mayerhofler in their backs who can cause all kind of problems. There is no doubt however that they have the most uncompromising second row in the division, probably any division in the universe come to that. The Springboks most capped and most abrasive (now that’s saying something!) forward Mark Andrews teams up with Gardens favourite Gareth Archer in a combination that most people would put money on not completing 80 minutes. Lets hope referee Mr Ashton-Jones is up to task and we do not get another repeat of Mr Archers peculiar kind of floorshow that has seen him get more yellow and red cards at the Gardens than Jon Phillips has had haircuts.
The game kicks off late at 4:00pm on Saturday so that everyone can watch the England v South Africa games on the large screens at the club. I’m sure you all remember the last time we played a late kick off game against the Falcons, lets hope its an omen.
After an afternoon of hurricane force winds when parts of the Saints tented village made their way down Abbey Street the Saints kicked off at 6:00pm against Newcastle in a Powergen Cup semi final in March 2002. The lads booked their place at Twickers playing one of the most complete halfs of fifteen man rugby seen at the Gardens. If we can come anywhere near that display on Saturday all would be well with the world.
THE WALK
I wrote last week about a supporter, Jacka, on our Saints with Heart walk who was sponsored by a group of Tigers fans to wear a Leicester shirt. Taking up the challenge Jacka in turn set up a sponsor race between the two clubs. Whichever set of fans pledged the most to him before Friday evening would earn the right to have their shirt worn. What initially started as a joke soon snowballed and by the end of business over sixteen hundred pounds had been raised. The Saints edged it slightly but in all fairness those down the road had done a sterling job (unlike their team this season) so Jacka wore both shirts on the day. He was however quite surprised to find that the Tigers shirt, one worn by Darren Garforth in a European tie, fitted him like a glove!
As for the walk itself it was a good day all round and we hope to have raised in the region of £8,000 for the British Heart Foundation. All forty walkers, the organisers and the weather all came up trumps and even Anglia television came out to film the occasion. The only dark spot on the day was due to a communication breakdown we managed to lose Maggie Barwell, Keith’s wife, along the way. She was at one end of Blisworth Tunnel while we were all at the other. Happily Maggie and friend made it in later in the day none the worse for wear and we hope it does not deter her too much from taking part next time round at what is now an annual event.
Special mention must also go to two London Irish supporters, Marie and Pete, who joined us on the 16 mile trek, they were the life and soul of the party (who would have thought?) and just goes to show that while other sports may be having problem upon problem at the moment the camaraderie and spirit of rugby is alive and well.
If you still wish to donate its not too late, email coysdc@aol.com for details.
WORLD CUP
Well after all the hype it was good to see the World Cup finally kick off on Friday. Tom Smith made a quiet start for Scotland as they struggled to break down Japan but all four Saints managed to get on the scoreboard for England against Georgia. However listening to ITVs less than impressive commentary you would have thought differently. Despite him leaving the field with an injury that may put him out of Saturdays game Daws returned in several different guises including one where he looked remarkably like Paul Grayson setting Ben up for his first try. I’m also looking forward to seeing that new Saint Steve TOMPKINS when the tournament is over! Now I never thought I would hear myself say this but I almost hanker for the professionalism of Stuart Barnes and Brian Moore.
Its not just the commentators that are under pressure at the RWC. The referees are having an unsure time of it too. Is it just me or are some refs hiding behind the video replays too often? Fair enough there have been some split decisions but overuse seems to be killing off the flow of some games.
At the moment in the Zurich Premiership this facility can only be used in televised games, even the all seeing eye of our good friend Mr Rowden had recourse to call on it on Saturday, but please, please, please do not let the powers that be install this across every ZP clash. I would have been quite happy for an extra half hour on Saturday out in the glorious October sunshine while Mr Pearson deliberated the whys and wherefores but come darkest January I’m not too sure I still want to be standing in brass monkeys weather on the Gordon Terrace at nine o’clock on a Saturday night while Steve Lander decides for the umpteenth time whether a penalty try was grounded or not!
.
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