I’m not exactly sure where it all went wrong, indeed I am not sure anybody does, but for ten minutes we had the Scottish side in all kinds of trouble when we had ball in hand but then collectively it looked liked the side thought they would play champagne rugby on a Tetley bitter day and paid the price as the vital bonus point eluded us.
To say it was a disappointment was an understatement and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so low at a win as the final whistle declared a rather hollow victory. Going by the collective groan that went up on 80 minutes I guess most of the 11,000 crowd felt the same way.
But its no good crying over spilt milk, the experts can talk till they are blue in the face about us not affording Borders enough respect and how gallantly they defended but at the end of the day we are talking about a side that has only won two games in all competition this season. Deep down the lads surely know that they blew it big time, Friday however gives them some chance of redemption in the return leg up at Galashiels. And I’m backing them to do it in style.
No doubt the training paddock has not been all lightness and joy this week as the team prepare for the journey north of the border in the return leg. The loss of a bonus point last week though disappointing is not the end of the world and the Saints still have it in their hands to qualify for the knockout stages of the European Cup.
A favourable result in France (C’mon Agen, but not by four tries please) and a return to form for us could still see the group evenly balanced going into the last fortnight of the pool games and to help us along Fridays opposition are already giving our lads plenty incentive to win.
Despite certain Borders players accusing the Saints of arrogance they are now crowing from the rooftops about how they are going to turn us over on Friday night, now isn’t that a case of the pot calling the kettle black?
I hope this goes some way to fire the lads up as I am sure the supporters will be after an amazing attack on the Franklins faithful by some elements of the Scottish press.
In the weekend edition of Scotland on Sunday, Jeff Connor, who it seems knows as much about rugby as Austin Healey knows about modesty, described the Gardens crowd as “the notoriously one-eyed Franklin’s Garden crowd, surely one of the most rugby illiterate anywhere” and even gave us stick for clapping Borders onto the pitch. I mean even Ed Morrison describes us as the most knowledgeable bunch in the game.
Now if this outburst was designed to infuriate the Northampton crowd then its certainly done the trick but the best riposte I heard was on the message board of our site when one wag suggested he wasn’t illiterate at all as he knew both his parents. However if you wish to drop Mr Connor your best wishes he can be emailed care of sportSOS@scotsman.com.
Please past on my best regards!
If you are one of the hardy souls travelling North on Friday evening keep an eye out for weather developments. As I sit writing this the long term weather forecast for the area is for a cold night with the chance of snow showers.
Rather you than me, I’m keeping my powder dry for the trip over to France next weekend and it might just be too tempting to lob an odd snowball or two in the direction of the hot air coming from a certain Scottish journo in the press box.
You never know he might even go to the game this week because I’m pretty sure after last weeks childish insults he wasn’t at the Gardens.
COTTON AT IT AGAIN………………and again and again……….
So no sooner has the dust died down on Englands World Cup win than the evil spectre of Fran Cotton looms on the horizon once again trying to stoke the flames of the next club v country war.
Not happy with trying to force the clubs to the wall when he tried to introduce divisional franchised rugby at the expense of the Zurich Premiership he is now behind a plan to impose quotas of English players on the very same clubs because they are affecting the progress of English players.
Wake up Mr Cotton, were you asleep when Jonny Wilko slotted over the World Cup winning kick? Does he suggest we weaken what is probably the strongest domestic league in the world by restricting the likes of the Blowers, Robinsons, Reihanas of the ZP or promote some lesser talented English player all in the hope it will serve Club England some time in the future while lowering standards all round? It’s hardly going to be a breeding ground for top talent is it, when the players that truly test the up and coming youngsters and pass on their knowledge are removed from the fray.
And come European Cup time, do the French, Irish and Welsh follow suit? No of course they do not, so again, just like the wage cap, we are penalised by our own union before the tournament even starts.
And if its the question of clubs threatening to employ further non English players because of excessive demands on international players like the nonsensical Baabaas game before Christmas wouldn't it be better to try and work together with the clubs to solve that problem rather than forcing quotas?
Cotton would do well to remember that Clive Woodward went out of his way to thank the ZP clubs and especially its coaches for helping England win the RWC. It seems some with their own agendas have not heard the phrase ‘if it aint broke don’t fix it’. Its about time Cotton and his ilk were removed from the corridors of the RFU for good before they cause future damage to both the club and national game as they continue to destroy from within.
WELL DONE COLIN
In amongst all the awards in the New Years Honours list apart from the gongs awarded to Ben, Wally, Larry and Daws there was another ex-Saint who was made an MBE. I am sure most of you, well you older ones, remember Colin Hall who played for the Saints in the late 80’s, early 90’s including that Pilkington Cup Final against Quins in 1991.
Rather than being rewarded for his prowess on the park Colin, who now coaches at Windsor RFC, is honoured for his forensic police work including help in identifying victims of the Bali and September 11th terrorist atrocities. A different sphere from the other lads but all the same in these troubled times an honour very well deserved.
To say it was a disappointment was an understatement and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so low at a win as the final whistle declared a rather hollow victory. Going by the collective groan that went up on 80 minutes I guess most of the 11,000 crowd felt the same way.
But its no good crying over spilt milk, the experts can talk till they are blue in the face about us not affording Borders enough respect and how gallantly they defended but at the end of the day we are talking about a side that has only won two games in all competition this season. Deep down the lads surely know that they blew it big time, Friday however gives them some chance of redemption in the return leg up at Galashiels. And I’m backing them to do it in style.
No doubt the training paddock has not been all lightness and joy this week as the team prepare for the journey north of the border in the return leg. The loss of a bonus point last week though disappointing is not the end of the world and the Saints still have it in their hands to qualify for the knockout stages of the European Cup.
A favourable result in France (C’mon Agen, but not by four tries please) and a return to form for us could still see the group evenly balanced going into the last fortnight of the pool games and to help us along Fridays opposition are already giving our lads plenty incentive to win.
Despite certain Borders players accusing the Saints of arrogance they are now crowing from the rooftops about how they are going to turn us over on Friday night, now isn’t that a case of the pot calling the kettle black?
I hope this goes some way to fire the lads up as I am sure the supporters will be after an amazing attack on the Franklins faithful by some elements of the Scottish press.
In the weekend edition of Scotland on Sunday, Jeff Connor, who it seems knows as much about rugby as Austin Healey knows about modesty, described the Gardens crowd as “the notoriously one-eyed Franklin’s Garden crowd, surely one of the most rugby illiterate anywhere” and even gave us stick for clapping Borders onto the pitch. I mean even Ed Morrison describes us as the most knowledgeable bunch in the game.
Now if this outburst was designed to infuriate the Northampton crowd then its certainly done the trick but the best riposte I heard was on the message board of our site when one wag suggested he wasn’t illiterate at all as he knew both his parents. However if you wish to drop Mr Connor your best wishes he can be emailed care of sportSOS@scotsman.com.
Please past on my best regards!
If you are one of the hardy souls travelling North on Friday evening keep an eye out for weather developments. As I sit writing this the long term weather forecast for the area is for a cold night with the chance of snow showers.
Rather you than me, I’m keeping my powder dry for the trip over to France next weekend and it might just be too tempting to lob an odd snowball or two in the direction of the hot air coming from a certain Scottish journo in the press box.
You never know he might even go to the game this week because I’m pretty sure after last weeks childish insults he wasn’t at the Gardens.
COTTON AT IT AGAIN………………and again and again……….
So no sooner has the dust died down on Englands World Cup win than the evil spectre of Fran Cotton looms on the horizon once again trying to stoke the flames of the next club v country war.
Not happy with trying to force the clubs to the wall when he tried to introduce divisional franchised rugby at the expense of the Zurich Premiership he is now behind a plan to impose quotas of English players on the very same clubs because they are affecting the progress of English players.
Wake up Mr Cotton, were you asleep when Jonny Wilko slotted over the World Cup winning kick? Does he suggest we weaken what is probably the strongest domestic league in the world by restricting the likes of the Blowers, Robinsons, Reihanas of the ZP or promote some lesser talented English player all in the hope it will serve Club England some time in the future while lowering standards all round? It’s hardly going to be a breeding ground for top talent is it, when the players that truly test the up and coming youngsters and pass on their knowledge are removed from the fray.
And come European Cup time, do the French, Irish and Welsh follow suit? No of course they do not, so again, just like the wage cap, we are penalised by our own union before the tournament even starts.
And if its the question of clubs threatening to employ further non English players because of excessive demands on international players like the nonsensical Baabaas game before Christmas wouldn't it be better to try and work together with the clubs to solve that problem rather than forcing quotas?
Cotton would do well to remember that Clive Woodward went out of his way to thank the ZP clubs and especially its coaches for helping England win the RWC. It seems some with their own agendas have not heard the phrase ‘if it aint broke don’t fix it’. Its about time Cotton and his ilk were removed from the corridors of the RFU for good before they cause future damage to both the club and national game as they continue to destroy from within.
WELL DONE COLIN
In amongst all the awards in the New Years Honours list apart from the gongs awarded to Ben, Wally, Larry and Daws there was another ex-Saint who was made an MBE. I am sure most of you, well you older ones, remember Colin Hall who played for the Saints in the late 80’s, early 90’s including that Pilkington Cup Final against Quins in 1991.
Rather than being rewarded for his prowess on the park Colin, who now coaches at Windsor RFC, is honoured for his forensic police work including help in identifying victims of the Bali and September 11th terrorist atrocities. A different sphere from the other lads but all the same in these troubled times an honour very well deserved.
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