At last something to cheer and shout from the rooftops as the lads gave everyone of Saintly persuasion all their Christmases at once in the nail biting win over the aristocrats of European rugby, Toulouse at the Gardens on Saturday.
A friend muttered ‘superlative’ when talking about the game as we wandered away from the ground after the resounding victory and what a very apt word to sum up the whole day. As the dictionary says ‘lifted up to the highest degree; most eminent; surpassing all other; supreme’. Given our season so far, Saturday’s performance was just about superlative in my estimation.
Given our league position no one much outside of the confines of the Saints catchment area were giving us even a sniff of a chance but on the day every player stood up to be counted. The collective will, belief and for want of a better word, desire looks like it has returned by the spade full – I would have said bucket full but I think frustrated Toulouse coach Guy Noves is still kicking that one round the pitch.
All round it was indeed the consummate Gardens day. The team did their heroics on the pitch while the support was back to its very best, loud and proud with virtually the whole stadium joining in choruses of Oh Wendy at times, and wasn’t it strange that no one left early this week!
And what scenes at the final whistle? The roof almost raised off the stands as the place went wild. I’m sure most of you noticed the sole figure of Keith Barwell galloping across the pitch to greet and hug the players, a vast change from the disgruntled Uncle Keith we’ve seen amble across the pitch in the latter days of Alan Solomons reign, certainly more sweetness and light than the fire and brimstone of recent times. If you had popped a trilby hat on his head he would have made more than a passing resemblance to Bob Stokoe when Sunderland won the FA Cup such was his joy.
Following the game new skipper Steve Thompson thanked the whole support which he thought was the best he had seen and heard at the Gardens since he was child standing on the terraces, well it was certainly up there and looking about there were a few misty eyed faces no doubt in relief more than anything else that the Saints, as Geoff Allen quite rightly bellowed over the tannoy, are back!
And to cap it all wasn’t it just great to see Shane Drahm pop over the winning drop goal with the reborn phrase ‘Saintsman’ on the back of his shirt?
NEW FRIENDS
It seems we made some new admirers from the visitors too on Saturday. Its not often an opposition player stays to applaud the Gardens crowd, in fact in the last decade or so I can only remember Biarritz’s Phillipe Bernat-Salles being so gracious but on Saturday French international flyhalf Frederic Michalak took time out to not only clap the Saints players off the pitch but to turn and acknowledge the Saints support too. He apparently commented later that he was humbled by the respect we had given him by the absolute silence during his kicks at goal which also seems to have greatly impressed the Toulouse support, both present and listening at home on Radio Sud. The Toulouse supporters websites this week have message after message about the sporting English crowd and their respect of their players perhaps best summed up in one rough translation “the true spirit of the game is in the English, the beautiful silence at the magnificent cathedral of Northampton that shows us such respect.” There are even suggestions that they might start to adopt the practice themselves. Now for those of that sampled cacophony of sound from the support at Toulouse two seasons back you’ll know that’s a near impossibility but what an honour that some of them think we can teach them a lesson or two about supporting their team.
LOOKING FORWARD
Now we’ve got the home leg out the way its all eyes to France for the return leg on Saturday. Again the ‘experts’, several of whom I’m sure were at a different game from me on Saturday, give us a snowflake in hells chance but as someone quite rightly pointed out on Monday “same team, just a different bit of grass”. In some respects the pressure is off us and certainly on Toulouse. They will be well aware that last year we went to Agen, an absolute fortress in French rugby, and broke a fifty odd game home run and after Saturdays defeat will know we are no shrinking violets but if the lads can carry on in the same vein we could again get something out of this game and by Saturday evening be set fair in the group.
There are an estimated 1250+ Saints supporters making the journey to La Ville Rose for the game so again it should be some weekend. As mentioned before the Frog & Rosbif at 14 Rue de L'industrie, seems to be the muster point for most of the travelling band with the free ‘Saints’ beer an added incentive. Obviously with these numbers the place is bound to get a bit crowded but with the bar being open after the game till 4am try and make the effort to make a visit at sometime.
It was quite some party last time round. See you there.
For those that do see daylight on the Sunday Mark Hazell has finalised the details for the trip on Sunday to watch the local Div2 derby between Albi and Montauban, kick off 3pm. It’s a chance to see another game and spread that Saintly word a little further. Trains are as follows from the Toulouse main railways station.
Depart Toulouse 1135, arrive Albi Ville 1226
Depart Toulouse 1242, arrive Albi Ville 1352
Depart Albi Ville 1817, arrive Toulouse 1920
Depart Albi Ville 1922, arrive Toulouse 2026
Depart Albi Ville 1955, arrive Toulouse 2052
Depart Albi Ville 2151, arrive Toulouse 2250
It is important to note that you do not get off at Albi Madeleine station, as it is outside the town. Albi Ville is more central and is easier to get to the ground from.
As Mark says this will be a local derby with French passion, French flair…and Saints supporters. Enjoy.
So while some supporters are cramming two games into the weekend one group is going a step further and taking in three! A group from The End travel out tomorrow to Montpellier where they will watch ex Saint Gregor Townsend’s side take on Connacht on Friday night. They travel up for the Saints game on Saturday before moving onto Albi on Sunday. That’s some tour.
Given our league position no one much outside of the confines of the Saints catchment area were giving us even a sniff of a chance but on the day every player stood up to be counted. The collective will, belief and for want of a better word, desire looks like it has returned by the spade full – I would have said bucket full but I think frustrated Toulouse coach Guy Noves is still kicking that one round the pitch.
All round it was indeed the consummate Gardens day. The team did their heroics on the pitch while the support was back to its very best, loud and proud with virtually the whole stadium joining in choruses of Oh Wendy at times, and wasn’t it strange that no one left early this week!
And what scenes at the final whistle? The roof almost raised off the stands as the place went wild. I’m sure most of you noticed the sole figure of Keith Barwell galloping across the pitch to greet and hug the players, a vast change from the disgruntled Uncle Keith we’ve seen amble across the pitch in the latter days of Alan Solomons reign, certainly more sweetness and light than the fire and brimstone of recent times. If you had popped a trilby hat on his head he would have made more than a passing resemblance to Bob Stokoe when Sunderland won the FA Cup such was his joy.
Following the game new skipper Steve Thompson thanked the whole support which he thought was the best he had seen and heard at the Gardens since he was child standing on the terraces, well it was certainly up there and looking about there were a few misty eyed faces no doubt in relief more than anything else that the Saints, as Geoff Allen quite rightly bellowed over the tannoy, are back!
And to cap it all wasn’t it just great to see Shane Drahm pop over the winning drop goal with the reborn phrase ‘Saintsman’ on the back of his shirt?
NEW FRIENDS
It seems we made some new admirers from the visitors too on Saturday. Its not often an opposition player stays to applaud the Gardens crowd, in fact in the last decade or so I can only remember Biarritz’s Phillipe Bernat-Salles being so gracious but on Saturday French international flyhalf Frederic Michalak took time out to not only clap the Saints players off the pitch but to turn and acknowledge the Saints support too. He apparently commented later that he was humbled by the respect we had given him by the absolute silence during his kicks at goal which also seems to have greatly impressed the Toulouse support, both present and listening at home on Radio Sud. The Toulouse supporters websites this week have message after message about the sporting English crowd and their respect of their players perhaps best summed up in one rough translation “the true spirit of the game is in the English, the beautiful silence at the magnificent cathedral of Northampton that shows us such respect.” There are even suggestions that they might start to adopt the practice themselves. Now for those of that sampled cacophony of sound from the support at Toulouse two seasons back you’ll know that’s a near impossibility but what an honour that some of them think we can teach them a lesson or two about supporting their team.
LOOKING FORWARD
Now we’ve got the home leg out the way its all eyes to France for the return leg on Saturday. Again the ‘experts’, several of whom I’m sure were at a different game from me on Saturday, give us a snowflake in hells chance but as someone quite rightly pointed out on Monday “same team, just a different bit of grass”. In some respects the pressure is off us and certainly on Toulouse. They will be well aware that last year we went to Agen, an absolute fortress in French rugby, and broke a fifty odd game home run and after Saturdays defeat will know we are no shrinking violets but if the lads can carry on in the same vein we could again get something out of this game and by Saturday evening be set fair in the group.
There are an estimated 1250+ Saints supporters making the journey to La Ville Rose for the game so again it should be some weekend. As mentioned before the Frog & Rosbif at 14 Rue de L'industrie, seems to be the muster point for most of the travelling band with the free ‘Saints’ beer an added incentive. Obviously with these numbers the place is bound to get a bit crowded but with the bar being open after the game till 4am try and make the effort to make a visit at sometime.
It was quite some party last time round. See you there.
For those that do see daylight on the Sunday Mark Hazell has finalised the details for the trip on Sunday to watch the local Div2 derby between Albi and Montauban, kick off 3pm. It’s a chance to see another game and spread that Saintly word a little further. Trains are as follows from the Toulouse main railways station.
Depart Toulouse 1135, arrive Albi Ville 1226
Depart Toulouse 1242, arrive Albi Ville 1352
Depart Albi Ville 1817, arrive Toulouse 1920
Depart Albi Ville 1922, arrive Toulouse 2026
Depart Albi Ville 1955, arrive Toulouse 2052
Depart Albi Ville 2151, arrive Toulouse 2250
It is important to note that you do not get off at Albi Madeleine station, as it is outside the town. Albi Ville is more central and is easier to get to the ground from.
As Mark says this will be a local derby with French passion, French flair…and Saints supporters. Enjoy.
So while some supporters are cramming two games into the weekend one group is going a step further and taking in three! A group from The End travel out tomorrow to Montpellier where they will watch ex Saint Gregor Townsend’s side take on Connacht on Friday night. They travel up for the Saints game on Saturday before moving onto Albi on Sunday. That’s some tour.
