There’s no doubting the better side won but Saints ran them close and could have edged it had the rub of the green gone their way. In the end a try by undisputed man of the match Scott Quinnell, which was dubious to say the least (surely he was offside?) was all that separated the sides.
Had David McHugh seen the deliberate knock on in stopping a Bruce Reihana try more seriously we could have sneaked it at the death but it was not to be.
However we came away with a very valuable bonus point which could prove crucial in the long term for the group, or too secure one of the two wildcard places in the quarter finals.
I was unable to make the trip to the Valleys myself so settled down to watch the game on Sky. Was it just me or was their coverage all ‘Llanelli this’ and Llanelli that’ with us just there to make up the numbers?
The effusive (look it up) Mr Barnes had me fuming by half time. Now theres nothing unusual in that but when they trundled out Jonathan Humphreys as one of the ‘experts’ during the break I almost climbed on the roof and knocked down the satellite dish. Listening to the impartial former Welsh international hooker you would have thought we were at least 40 points down and being played off the park as he slated the team saying we were not that interested in getting a result as much as Llanelli were. What utter tripe! I just hope the lads remember this, especially Wally, when Mr Humpreys visits with Bath later in the season.
It seems even our bonus point was down to that nice Stephen Jones gifting it to us by losing his kicking touch with a new ball that the maestro himself Paul Grayson and Shane Drahm seemed to have little problem with. Strange that.
However Sky redeemed themselves over the next two days as I remained glued to my armchair with the likes of Ian McGeechan, Clive Woodward, Scott Quinnell and Will Greeenwood giving thoughtful analysis alongside the consummate professional Michael Lynagh.
Greenwood is an absolute natural as far as broadcasting is concerned and come his retirement Messrs Morris and Barnes should start looking over their shoulders for the likes of Greenwood and Matt Dawson who seems to be mentioned on Soccer AM more often than Alex Ferguson these days.
After our very own JP appearing in Sky’s Xmas adverts with his ‘slight of hand’ a Gold Black n Green tinted rugby presenter would be worth the subscription alone!
Now where did I put Rupert Murdochs email address?
LOOKING AHEAD
So with an away point pocketed the Saints look forward to entertaining Frances Agen on Saturday. The game looks like it could well be a sellou.t It also looks like it could be one hell of a battle as Agen have a reputation that is ‘uncompromising’ to say the least.
Even before the season started Saracens coach Rod Kafer withdrew his side during a friendly in Agen, yes a friendly, after only 55 minutes as he considered it was too dangerous to carry on after several fights and off the ball incidents.
We also hear that the highlights shown of the clash with Borders at the weekend was only a glimpse of what actually went on. What was described in the media as a ‘card fest’ with the Agen flyhalf sent off for a headbutt was also marred by several outbreaks of violence not caught by referee or camera.
However Agen skipper Jean-Jacques Crenca, who played for France in the World Cup has warned his side they must be more disciplined and step up a gear against a Saints side containing several world champions or they will be punished. Lets hope if they resort to plan A we are graced with a referee that will take the bull by the horns. Please, please please ERC, not Ian Ramage. (Thankfully since writing we hear its 'Paul' Whitehouse)
But that is all on the pitch. Off it, as usual against a French team I’m sure there are new acquaintances to be made with the small number of visiting French fans. With no doubt the usual few hundred suspects going down to Agen in January, for what is always THE weekend of the season, it’s as good a time as any to extend that hand of friendship to our Gallic counterparts – in the very least to find where all the best bars are in six weeks time.
DEAR BILL
Well what a spectacle Mondays parade was in London was. In the acres of red and white there was also a fair smattering of Gold Black and Green along the route including the Gardens own David Percy and his son Will, a junior player for Tows, who were ‘adopted’ by the BBC for the day. Both were followed by Beeb cameras from an early Nether Heyford breakfast then down by train to the main event on the streets of the capital.
As David said it was a once in a lifetime experience and I’m sure it will live long in the memory for a lot of the kids like Will that managed to get the day off school. But I can’t help thinking it was father David who looked like all his Sundays had come at once when that Sweet Chariot passed his way.
Well after Mondays extravaganza Bill (or the William Webb-Ellis trophy to you posh people) goes on a tour of all the Zurich grounds. Unfortunately it looks like our name was last out the hat as dear Bill is not down to visit till January 31st.
Now I know it will brighten a dull mid winters day for all us English Saints but this is the day we play Llanelli a game which could be our group decider in the Heineken Cup. I don’t know about you but as much as I’d like to see William paraded around the Gardens I could see this as being more as an incentive to a team containing 14 Welsh internationals than it is to us.
Indeed a couple of Welsh rugby message boards are crowing about it already as being another example of English arrogance. Seven days later we play Rotherham, wouldn’t this be a far better date for all concerned?
Had David McHugh seen the deliberate knock on in stopping a Bruce Reihana try more seriously we could have sneaked it at the death but it was not to be.
However we came away with a very valuable bonus point which could prove crucial in the long term for the group, or too secure one of the two wildcard places in the quarter finals.
I was unable to make the trip to the Valleys myself so settled down to watch the game on Sky. Was it just me or was their coverage all ‘Llanelli this’ and Llanelli that’ with us just there to make up the numbers?
The effusive (look it up) Mr Barnes had me fuming by half time. Now theres nothing unusual in that but when they trundled out Jonathan Humphreys as one of the ‘experts’ during the break I almost climbed on the roof and knocked down the satellite dish. Listening to the impartial former Welsh international hooker you would have thought we were at least 40 points down and being played off the park as he slated the team saying we were not that interested in getting a result as much as Llanelli were. What utter tripe! I just hope the lads remember this, especially Wally, when Mr Humpreys visits with Bath later in the season.
It seems even our bonus point was down to that nice Stephen Jones gifting it to us by losing his kicking touch with a new ball that the maestro himself Paul Grayson and Shane Drahm seemed to have little problem with. Strange that.
However Sky redeemed themselves over the next two days as I remained glued to my armchair with the likes of Ian McGeechan, Clive Woodward, Scott Quinnell and Will Greeenwood giving thoughtful analysis alongside the consummate professional Michael Lynagh.
Greenwood is an absolute natural as far as broadcasting is concerned and come his retirement Messrs Morris and Barnes should start looking over their shoulders for the likes of Greenwood and Matt Dawson who seems to be mentioned on Soccer AM more often than Alex Ferguson these days.
After our very own JP appearing in Sky’s Xmas adverts with his ‘slight of hand’ a Gold Black n Green tinted rugby presenter would be worth the subscription alone!
Now where did I put Rupert Murdochs email address?
LOOKING AHEAD
So with an away point pocketed the Saints look forward to entertaining Frances Agen on Saturday. The game looks like it could well be a sellou.t It also looks like it could be one hell of a battle as Agen have a reputation that is ‘uncompromising’ to say the least.
Even before the season started Saracens coach Rod Kafer withdrew his side during a friendly in Agen, yes a friendly, after only 55 minutes as he considered it was too dangerous to carry on after several fights and off the ball incidents.
We also hear that the highlights shown of the clash with Borders at the weekend was only a glimpse of what actually went on. What was described in the media as a ‘card fest’ with the Agen flyhalf sent off for a headbutt was also marred by several outbreaks of violence not caught by referee or camera.
However Agen skipper Jean-Jacques Crenca, who played for France in the World Cup has warned his side they must be more disciplined and step up a gear against a Saints side containing several world champions or they will be punished. Lets hope if they resort to plan A we are graced with a referee that will take the bull by the horns. Please, please please ERC, not Ian Ramage. (Thankfully since writing we hear its 'Paul' Whitehouse)
But that is all on the pitch. Off it, as usual against a French team I’m sure there are new acquaintances to be made with the small number of visiting French fans. With no doubt the usual few hundred suspects going down to Agen in January, for what is always THE weekend of the season, it’s as good a time as any to extend that hand of friendship to our Gallic counterparts – in the very least to find where all the best bars are in six weeks time.
DEAR BILL
Well what a spectacle Mondays parade was in London was. In the acres of red and white there was also a fair smattering of Gold Black and Green along the route including the Gardens own David Percy and his son Will, a junior player for Tows, who were ‘adopted’ by the BBC for the day. Both were followed by Beeb cameras from an early Nether Heyford breakfast then down by train to the main event on the streets of the capital.
As David said it was a once in a lifetime experience and I’m sure it will live long in the memory for a lot of the kids like Will that managed to get the day off school. But I can’t help thinking it was father David who looked like all his Sundays had come at once when that Sweet Chariot passed his way.
Well after Mondays extravaganza Bill (or the William Webb-Ellis trophy to you posh people) goes on a tour of all the Zurich grounds. Unfortunately it looks like our name was last out the hat as dear Bill is not down to visit till January 31st.
Now I know it will brighten a dull mid winters day for all us English Saints but this is the day we play Llanelli a game which could be our group decider in the Heineken Cup. I don’t know about you but as much as I’d like to see William paraded around the Gardens I could see this as being more as an incentive to a team containing 14 Welsh internationals than it is to us.
Indeed a couple of Welsh rugby message boards are crowing about it already as being another example of English arrogance. Seven days later we play Rotherham, wouldn’t this be a far better date for all concerned?
No comments:
Post a Comment