So far this term its not so much that rollercoaster more a perennial ride on a ghost train. Just when you think there’s surely daylight coming through the next set of doors you’re twisted round and hurled back into the darkness.
On Saturday yet again the lads fronted up went at it full throttle, the raft of injuries were a testament to that, but yet again we seem bereft of a cohesive game plan and Sale took home the spoils. We batter away for 80 minutes, or almost 100 minutes on referee Chris Whites watch, but yet again we come away with nothing. Saints just don’t lose five games in a row, nor lose three games at home so early in the season, nor do we not score tries. Something is clearly wrong at the club and something that surely cannot be allowed to continue.
We are told this isn’t a crisis and we are on the verge of getting it right but for the life of me I, like many Saints supporters, don’t yet see any light at the end of the tunnel. To hear someone just put their hands up and admit, “sorry, yes we’ve got things wrong, we’re trying something else” would allay some fears but to hear each week we are getting things right when we are clearly not doesn’t give much hope at the moment going into Europe. Now however is the ideal time to start putting things right. The Heineken Cup gives us a fresh start and one that should be grabbed with both hands.
The last five games have to be written off, they are history, the points and the early season advantage have now gone, there’s nothing that can be done about that now. What there is now is a chance to go up to Scotland with a clean slate, a fresh mind and the nightmare of the last month consigned to the bin and a new beginning with a return to form at Glasgow. More importantly collective confidence and belief as a team in their own and in their team mates abilities needs to be restored. Team morale is low and what better boost than a victory away in the Heineken Cup.
The Saints have a fine record north of the border in European competition and given the firepower we now have we should win should the boys play to their strengths. Now is the time to get that monkey off their back and look forward to the rest of the season starting Sunday afternoon at Hughenden.
However I suspect to do this and put the demons of the last few weeks to bed there has to be an acknowledgement that some things have not gone to plan rather than us just not having luck on our side. It’s time for people to stand up and be counted. Touch wood, fingers crossed, let’s hope the real season starts here.
SAINTS WITH HEART
One good aspect of Saturday was the success of the comeonyousaints.com organised Saints with Heart III walk for the British Heart Foundation. I think just about everybody who took part in the walk from Wolverton and Stoke Bruerne to the Gardens enjoyed the day, although their feet and joints might not have agreed with that sentiment on Sunday morning. I know as I sit here typing this my ankles are still mumbling ‘never again, never again’.
The fund raising for this year has not finished though. A week on Friday (29th Oct) we will be having a social night at Paul Shaddick’s pub ‘The End’ at Southbridge. Some of you will know Paul from his work at the club and he has kindly agreed to host an evening where we will draw the winners of the various signed shirts you may have seen on us wear on Saturday (yes I was that fool in the London Irish bright green wig) and hold a separate raffle for other prizes including a signed Saints shirt and a pair of England tickets. Most of all though it’s a chance to have a chinwag with fellow Saints and rugby followers while making an extra couple of quid for a worthwhile cause and if a success something we might hold again in the future. Proceeedings start 8:00pm(ish).
THE ART OF SEEING RED
Much as its seen in certain quarters as stepping over the line to criticise referees and their assistants, again we seem to have suffered over a handing out of a yellow card when red should be mandatory. On Saturday Robbie Kempson was felled off the ball, with a punch cleanly seen by half the Tetleys Stand and the touchjudge. The result after consultation between TJ and referee Chris White, was yes a yellow card. Robbie is out of the game for the duration, and potentially longer, the perpetrator got 10 minutes. Two seasons ago we saw this happen to Matt Dawson, Daws a month on the sidelines, Bill Davison who laid him out, ten minutes.
Now clearly this is an imbalance that needs putting right. An act of foul play, and it clearly is considered one if a card is issued, which results in a fellow player losing game time should be treated as an automatic ban lasting as long, if not longer, than the injured player. This might make the serial offenders of the game think twice about such assaults that are plainly premeditated and used to take opposition players out the game and/or intimidate. Yes it’s a rough tough game but as things are with these type of attack it is almost a licence to kill, lets just hope it doesn’t come to that before the powers that be act.
HEINEKEN CUP
Yes it’s the start of the big one again, the biggest club competition in the world, the Heineken Cup and yet again Sky have come up trumps for you armchair supporters.
There are seven games to be watched on the box this weekend including Saints game in Glasgow for those not travelling to Scotland, so sit back and enjoy the following.
Friday Llanelli v Toulouse 19.30, Perpignan v Edinburgh 21.30
Saturday Newport Gwent Dragons v Newcastle 13.00, Stade Francais v Gloucester 15.00, Munster v Harlequins 17.15
Sunday Glasgow v Saints 13.00, Wasps v Biarritz 15.00
Add to this both the NPC and Currie Cup finals live from New Zealand and South Africa respectively and you have a bumper weekend of rugger TV. Just don’t mention this column in any divorce proceedings.
On Saturday yet again the lads fronted up went at it full throttle, the raft of injuries were a testament to that, but yet again we seem bereft of a cohesive game plan and Sale took home the spoils. We batter away for 80 minutes, or almost 100 minutes on referee Chris Whites watch, but yet again we come away with nothing. Saints just don’t lose five games in a row, nor lose three games at home so early in the season, nor do we not score tries. Something is clearly wrong at the club and something that surely cannot be allowed to continue.
We are told this isn’t a crisis and we are on the verge of getting it right but for the life of me I, like many Saints supporters, don’t yet see any light at the end of the tunnel. To hear someone just put their hands up and admit, “sorry, yes we’ve got things wrong, we’re trying something else” would allay some fears but to hear each week we are getting things right when we are clearly not doesn’t give much hope at the moment going into Europe. Now however is the ideal time to start putting things right. The Heineken Cup gives us a fresh start and one that should be grabbed with both hands.
The last five games have to be written off, they are history, the points and the early season advantage have now gone, there’s nothing that can be done about that now. What there is now is a chance to go up to Scotland with a clean slate, a fresh mind and the nightmare of the last month consigned to the bin and a new beginning with a return to form at Glasgow. More importantly collective confidence and belief as a team in their own and in their team mates abilities needs to be restored. Team morale is low and what better boost than a victory away in the Heineken Cup.
The Saints have a fine record north of the border in European competition and given the firepower we now have we should win should the boys play to their strengths. Now is the time to get that monkey off their back and look forward to the rest of the season starting Sunday afternoon at Hughenden.
However I suspect to do this and put the demons of the last few weeks to bed there has to be an acknowledgement that some things have not gone to plan rather than us just not having luck on our side. It’s time for people to stand up and be counted. Touch wood, fingers crossed, let’s hope the real season starts here.
SAINTS WITH HEART
One good aspect of Saturday was the success of the comeonyousaints.com organised Saints with Heart III walk for the British Heart Foundation. I think just about everybody who took part in the walk from Wolverton and Stoke Bruerne to the Gardens enjoyed the day, although their feet and joints might not have agreed with that sentiment on Sunday morning. I know as I sit here typing this my ankles are still mumbling ‘never again, never again’.
The fund raising for this year has not finished though. A week on Friday (29th Oct) we will be having a social night at Paul Shaddick’s pub ‘The End’ at Southbridge. Some of you will know Paul from his work at the club and he has kindly agreed to host an evening where we will draw the winners of the various signed shirts you may have seen on us wear on Saturday (yes I was that fool in the London Irish bright green wig) and hold a separate raffle for other prizes including a signed Saints shirt and a pair of England tickets. Most of all though it’s a chance to have a chinwag with fellow Saints and rugby followers while making an extra couple of quid for a worthwhile cause and if a success something we might hold again in the future. Proceeedings start 8:00pm(ish).
THE ART OF SEEING RED
Much as its seen in certain quarters as stepping over the line to criticise referees and their assistants, again we seem to have suffered over a handing out of a yellow card when red should be mandatory. On Saturday Robbie Kempson was felled off the ball, with a punch cleanly seen by half the Tetleys Stand and the touchjudge. The result after consultation between TJ and referee Chris White, was yes a yellow card. Robbie is out of the game for the duration, and potentially longer, the perpetrator got 10 minutes. Two seasons ago we saw this happen to Matt Dawson, Daws a month on the sidelines, Bill Davison who laid him out, ten minutes.
Now clearly this is an imbalance that needs putting right. An act of foul play, and it clearly is considered one if a card is issued, which results in a fellow player losing game time should be treated as an automatic ban lasting as long, if not longer, than the injured player. This might make the serial offenders of the game think twice about such assaults that are plainly premeditated and used to take opposition players out the game and/or intimidate. Yes it’s a rough tough game but as things are with these type of attack it is almost a licence to kill, lets just hope it doesn’t come to that before the powers that be act.
HEINEKEN CUP
Yes it’s the start of the big one again, the biggest club competition in the world, the Heineken Cup and yet again Sky have come up trumps for you armchair supporters.
There are seven games to be watched on the box this weekend including Saints game in Glasgow for those not travelling to Scotland, so sit back and enjoy the following.
Friday Llanelli v Toulouse 19.30, Perpignan v Edinburgh 21.30
Saturday Newport Gwent Dragons v Newcastle 13.00, Stade Francais v Gloucester 15.00, Munster v Harlequins 17.15
Sunday Glasgow v Saints 13.00, Wasps v Biarritz 15.00
Add to this both the NPC and Currie Cup finals live from New Zealand and South Africa respectively and you have a bumper weekend of rugger TV. Just don’t mention this column in any divorce proceedings.
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