I don’t know about anyone else but for me it’s not so much a feeling of disappointment anymore, that almost seems inevitable, it’s more a feeling of being emotionally drained week in week out. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve asked myself is it all worth it but on Saturday that’s just how I felt at the final whistle. Of course that passes and I’ll be back week in week out like many thousands of others but to say our form is trying the patience of a Saint is an understatement.
What is even more worrying is that we are now hearing from players, coaches and other dignitaries at the club that we have indeed “run out of time”, we are “in a mess” and it’s the “last chance saloon”, but yet again we still have to suffer 80 minutes of frustration each and every Zurich afternoon.
The general opinion on Saturday from a fair few people I spoke to after the game was that the first half was the worst display of rugby seen at Franklins Gardens in many a year. Just when we thought it could not get any worse, it did. We only really fired into life with the introduction of Shane Drahm when all was almost lost and although we almost stole the game we yet again failed to close out the match that was there for the taking. The lineout was a shambles but we still persisted in a kicking game which saw the Irish win the ball on their throw then whack the ball back down into our territory where they knew nine times out of ten they would steal it on our put in.
We still seem bereft of a Plan B when the chips are down but are yet again told it’s down to luck, the rub of the green, the bounce of a ball and no doubt this week a gypsy curse. The Saints have always had the reputation of having a knowledgeable crowd – even the old ‘enemy’ Ed Morrison has stated so – we might not all be as concise as the Paul Ackfords and Stuart Barnes of this world but again talking to many people after the game the general consensus was that its abundantly clear that things are far from okay on the pitch and a lot of it is to do with things that are in our hands not the gods.
So please can we hear less that the game was lost because of XYZ, we’re not falling for it and its wasting time and effort and does little to engender new faces to the support. To put it bluntly people are getting sick of the excuses. Lets have some straight talking, if we are bad say we bad we would respect you for that (that might be a legacy of Wayne Smith but it sure worked). Supporters criticising (apart from those few hell bent on a witch hunt) are not the enemy as was thinly suggested on Saturday, if a lot of people criticise, there is usually a reason for it, it’s not a case of whinging for whingings sake, far from it, it’s people raising their concerns about a club they hold close to their hearts.
I am sure the whole club would feel better for it, a clean slate and a fresh start and a better understanding all round but above all a bit more openness. Let’s get this club out the mire together starting with a win on Saturday.
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LOOKING AHEAD
It’s the first visit in the leagues for Worcester on Saturday and given the closeness in points, and Quins win last week this is yet another must win game for the Saints.
The Worcester supporters have really thrown themselves into the season after making it into the top flight. They endeared themselves to a lot of the Saints support by raising over £2,000 for the recent Saints with Heart fundraising for the BHF and certainly look like they want to play a big part in the ZP supporter’s community.
On the pitch they have perhaps faired better than anyone outside the Worcester area could have expected and already they have a win under their belts so will not be the usual whipping boys we have seen in recent years coming up from Div One.
It could be a tough one and again we must fight tooth and nail for the victory.
So be nice to the Worcester supporters both before and after the game but lads, give their boys hell on the pitch.
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LOOKING EVEN FURTHER AHEAD
Being a bit of a Francophile the games in France are always one of the highlights of the season for me and with the game in Toulouse now less than a month away I’m starting to count the days.
Rob, a Northamptonian in exile who helps run the Frog and Rosbif in the city has been in touch with us once again welcoming all to the bar over the weekend and offers a free beer to anyone who produces their match ticket. It was quite some party in there last time round both on the Friday and Saturday night so it’s worth a visit, even if it’s just to visit my shirt that’s now framed on the wall in there. You can find the Frog and Rosbif on the Rue de la Industrie just north of the city centre.
On the Sunday, as you may have seen elsewhere in the Chron this week, an ever growing group of Saints supporters are planning to spread the entente cordiale a little further and take in another game, the local derby between Albi and Montauban in the French second division. These cultural attaches will be heading off up to Albi mid morning on the train from Toulouse’s main railway station. If more concrete details are available I will keep you all posted.
What is even more worrying is that we are now hearing from players, coaches and other dignitaries at the club that we have indeed “run out of time”, we are “in a mess” and it’s the “last chance saloon”, but yet again we still have to suffer 80 minutes of frustration each and every Zurich afternoon.
The general opinion on Saturday from a fair few people I spoke to after the game was that the first half was the worst display of rugby seen at Franklins Gardens in many a year. Just when we thought it could not get any worse, it did. We only really fired into life with the introduction of Shane Drahm when all was almost lost and although we almost stole the game we yet again failed to close out the match that was there for the taking. The lineout was a shambles but we still persisted in a kicking game which saw the Irish win the ball on their throw then whack the ball back down into our territory where they knew nine times out of ten they would steal it on our put in.
We still seem bereft of a Plan B when the chips are down but are yet again told it’s down to luck, the rub of the green, the bounce of a ball and no doubt this week a gypsy curse. The Saints have always had the reputation of having a knowledgeable crowd – even the old ‘enemy’ Ed Morrison has stated so – we might not all be as concise as the Paul Ackfords and Stuart Barnes of this world but again talking to many people after the game the general consensus was that its abundantly clear that things are far from okay on the pitch and a lot of it is to do with things that are in our hands not the gods.
So please can we hear less that the game was lost because of XYZ, we’re not falling for it and its wasting time and effort and does little to engender new faces to the support. To put it bluntly people are getting sick of the excuses. Lets have some straight talking, if we are bad say we bad we would respect you for that (that might be a legacy of Wayne Smith but it sure worked). Supporters criticising (apart from those few hell bent on a witch hunt) are not the enemy as was thinly suggested on Saturday, if a lot of people criticise, there is usually a reason for it, it’s not a case of whinging for whingings sake, far from it, it’s people raising their concerns about a club they hold close to their hearts.
I am sure the whole club would feel better for it, a clean slate and a fresh start and a better understanding all round but above all a bit more openness. Let’s get this club out the mire together starting with a win on Saturday.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOOKING AHEAD
It’s the first visit in the leagues for Worcester on Saturday and given the closeness in points, and Quins win last week this is yet another must win game for the Saints.
The Worcester supporters have really thrown themselves into the season after making it into the top flight. They endeared themselves to a lot of the Saints support by raising over £2,000 for the recent Saints with Heart fundraising for the BHF and certainly look like they want to play a big part in the ZP supporter’s community.
On the pitch they have perhaps faired better than anyone outside the Worcester area could have expected and already they have a win under their belts so will not be the usual whipping boys we have seen in recent years coming up from Div One.
It could be a tough one and again we must fight tooth and nail for the victory.
So be nice to the Worcester supporters both before and after the game but lads, give their boys hell on the pitch.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LOOKING EVEN FURTHER AHEAD
Being a bit of a Francophile the games in France are always one of the highlights of the season for me and with the game in Toulouse now less than a month away I’m starting to count the days.
Rob, a Northamptonian in exile who helps run the Frog and Rosbif in the city has been in touch with us once again welcoming all to the bar over the weekend and offers a free beer to anyone who produces their match ticket. It was quite some party in there last time round both on the Friday and Saturday night so it’s worth a visit, even if it’s just to visit my shirt that’s now framed on the wall in there. You can find the Frog and Rosbif on the Rue de la Industrie just north of the city centre.
On the Sunday, as you may have seen elsewhere in the Chron this week, an ever growing group of Saints supporters are planning to spread the entente cordiale a little further and take in another game, the local derby between Albi and Montauban in the French second division. These cultural attaches will be heading off up to Albi mid morning on the train from Toulouse’s main railway station. If more concrete details are available I will keep you all posted.
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