December 16 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
December 16 2005

At last! After a run of six defeats the lads pulled a victory out of the hat on Saturday to ease a few jitters. By their own admission they did not play well but a win is a win is a win.

I’m still not quite sure what the French’s game plan was, and when Franck Tournaire talked of damage limitation last week I think he just meant damage, but to get four tries and the bonus point can be counted as job done.

Sam Harding’s try was an All Black peach with the New Zealand trio of Carlos, Bruce and Sam combining to run in the score of the season so far. Carlos certainly gagged the doubters with a sublime display and he run in the lead up to this try showed just why we signed him.

So with five points in the bag it’s off to France this weekend for the second leg and I’m sure a completely different French team in outlook. The group is still finely in the balance with Saints, Narbonne and Bristol still in the hunt to win the group or qualify as one of the best runners up. With Bristol to play at home and Viadana away in January getting something out of Friday night’s game could be crucial. There’s a French saying that literally translates as ‘hats on wheels’ meaning to come out of the blocks all guns blazing. If the lads can get stuck in early on Friday night (remember Agen?) then they might just unsettle the French enough to take the game  and set themselves in a strong position as we head into the festive season.

As usual the Saints will be well represented at the game by the travelling Northampton support. With the proximity to Christmas and the fact that the European Challenge Cup does not have the draw that the Heineken does it may mean that there may not be as many going out to Narbonne as the four figure groups we have had in recent years to places like Biarritz and Toulouse but I’m still expecting to see a few hundred in Gold, Black and Green on Friday night at the Parc des Sports et de l'Amitie.

It seems like the support is converging on France from the four corners with fans flying into Toulouse, Montpellier, Carcosonne and Perpignan then heading down to Narbonne. Having looked around the town this morning via the wonders of a live camera on the roof of the town hall which you can control via your internet connection it looks a beautiful town with a lot of life. It also looks like the people of Narbonne are in full Christmas swing with the town already lit up and according to the local tourist board several Christmas festivities planned for over the weekend including the traditional Christmas market. So if you cannot make it this weekend, (and believe me I’m not trying to rub your nose in it),  you can see us all enjoying ourselves at  www.mairie-narbonne.fr/webcam/webcam.asp Look out for the man in the Saints shirt waving.

For those of you travelling out, as mentioned in the site a few weeks ago, the rugby bar of choice, according to our friends at London Irish is The Globe which is owned by a member of the Narbonne coaching set up. It can be found at Café du Globe 8 quai Vallière though I’m sure going on other years there will be a smattering of Saints just about anywhere in town.

If you are staying out in France for the weekend and are at a loss for something to do on Saturday, Perpignan are playing Leeds in the Heineken Cup just down the coast. There is a regular train service from Narbonne taking around 45 mins and return fare is €20. Tickets for the game will be available at the ground from 3:30 onwards with a 6:30 evening kickoff. If you have never seen the Perpignan support it is quite an experience and well worth making the effort if you have time. See you there!

MORE LUNACY AT THE ASYLUM

And now for Club v Country Part 368. Just how much dafter can it get? To bolster the ailing Powergen Cup some bright spark at the RFU (yes those complaining most about players playing too many games) decided on a revamp and expansion of the competition.

Lets involve the Welsh they thought, they love playing us, perhaps we can even use the Millennium Stadium for a double header semi-final day to really blow the trumpet about our flagship tournament. Well all well and good till someone finally noticed that the weekend planned for that double header sits slap bang in the middle of the Six Nations. There are no international games organised for that weekend but in what seems like another tit for tat move the RFU are now saying England players cannot play in these games. It really does start to make you think the lunatics have taken over the asylum when the governing body ban their own players from their own flagship tournament on a whim. Madness.

Quite rightly, in my opinion anyway, the clubs are insisting they select their strongest possible teams for these games but already some elements at the RFU are talking about sanctions against the clubs should they do so. When push comes to shove I could well see the clubs saying right its you competition, stick it, and walking way from this competition en masse leaving the RFU with not only an empty Millennium Stadium in March but an equally empty Twickenham for the final in April and a rather hefty bill with both the BBC and the Welsh Rugby Union to pacify. As always, I cannot see sense prevailing.

GLAD TIDINGS

As I will be staying down in France till Xmas, taking in some museums and art galleries (I’m not fooling you am I?) this will be my last column of the year. So I’d just like to wish you all the very best for the festive season and a very prosperous new year and may the team you follow, as long as they play at Franklins Gardens, bring you all you wish for in 2006.

December 8 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
December 8 2005

I know it was another loss on Saturday, and I know the pessimistic glass half empty brigade will be moaning about this column again, but I think there was a fair few positives to be taken from the Powergen Cup defeat at Welford Road at the weekend.

Some of us seem to be overlooking the fact that it was top of the table Tigers versus bottom of the table Saints and it was always going to be a tall order to get anything out of the game but the lads valiant efforts got us within touching distance yet all in vain.

Despite the disappointment there was no disgrace in this defeat but yet again a couple of errors edged the game away from us at crucial stages.

It was a game that was so close but ultimately so far as the fourth Tigers try left us out of touch while if we had just held them at bay at three scores we would have gone through to the semi finals with us gaining that valuable point that Tigers dropped. However it was not to be but in my mind a few of the lads took a step forward at the weekend and stood up to be counted especially in the forwards. Stopping and driving back Leicester’s maul while defending our line and giving as good as they got in the set piece certainly did not look like the under strength pack the media would believe you we had week in week out. I think as a unit to some extent they grew up a bit on Saturday and they now know they have this kind of game in them. Now it’s a matter of building on that and sustaining it for 80 minutes of the game.

For once the front eight overshadowed the efforts of the backs. Despite two well taken tries we certainly missed the solidity and creativeness of Dave Quinlan and John Clarke in midfield. Carlos, by his own admission, said he did not have the best of days but I think he’s being a bit hard on himself there as even a couple of Tigers supporters declared at half time he was dictating the game and that’s a bit like getting blood out the proverbial stone.

We dominated proceedings in the first half and but for a soft Leon Lloyd try could have gone in at the break 11-0 up, a lead even gritty Leicester would have found hard to break with four tries in the second half. With the boost of that late score Leicester came out with their heads up in the second period and gradually ground down the Saints to take the game the loss of Steve Thompson being key to our galvanised efforts fading. So the place in Cardiff in March goes to the Tigers while for us it’s all eyes on the European Challenge Cup for the next couple of weeks and maybe our only remaining realistic chance of qualifying for the Heineken Cup next season.

LOOKING AHEAD

It’s back to the Gardens at the weekend for the last home game of 2005 and the first of a double header against French side Narbonne. With the loss against Bristol in the last round of the competition points are now crucial for the Saints and despite Narbonne not having won away from home this season, apart from their awarded ‘victory’ in the fog abandoned game in Viadana, they cannot be taken lightly especially with the likes of wily old war horses Franck Tournaire and Christian Labit in their ranks. Tournaire is already talking down his teams chances suggesting Saturday’s game is just ‘damage limitation’ for Narbonne but having played against us for Leicester I am sure he will be looking to give the auld enemy yet another bloody nose. Labit on the other hand says he is looking forward to playing Northampton again as having played against so many times for Toulouse in the last few years it’s like meeting up with old friends.
I am sure that friendliness will not extend to early Christmas presents though but I’m taking the lads to build on last week’s performance and go to France the weekend after with all to play for at the head of the group.

ON BANS

I must say I was quite surprised to read comments by Tigers chief exec Peter Wheeler about how players should be handled in the light of Lewis Moody’s lengthy ban for punching in the recent England v Samoa game at Twickenham. Wheelers normally a guy who talks a lot of sense (despite his choice of club) but I think he is way wide of the mark in suggesting professional players should be treated any differently than the amateur branch of the game.

To suggest the pro players should receive lighter sentences because it may affect their livelihood is surely missing the point that these bans are there as a deterrent. Perhaps it might make a few think again if it is hitting them hard in the pocket and whilst yes its true that the same length of ban does not affect the amateur club player as much as all he misses is playing for his club surely the guys at the very pinnacle of the game are the one who should be setting examples. These are the guys that are the public face of the game and role models for youngsters. To see them treated more leniently than Joe Bloggs playing for Milton Keynes Thirds would be a travesty.

One thing Wheeler was right on though was inconsistencies in the length of bans handed out for very similar offences. Whilst not condoning Moody’s act he was involved in defending a team mate whilst the same weekend we saw South Africa’s John Smit, who elbowed France’s Jerome Thion deliberately in the throat causing vocal chord damage that left him hospitalised, receive just six weeks, three less than Moody. That’s not an isolated incident, across the game these discrepancies happen week in week out

Biarritz, Thions club, are talking about possibly taking out a private civil action against Smit as they consider the length of ban nowhere near long enough for the severe injuries their player has suffered taking into consideration sentences handed out elsewhere. It could well be a test case and if successful it will take the game down a route it surely does not want to go unless the IRB and national unions get their house in order and there is some kind of parity in sentencing. 

December 1 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
December 1 2005

Another loss on Saturday and another game we could, if not should, have won. So as we move into a four week break from the Guinness Premiership we sit precariously just off the bottom of the GP table with Leeds, who have finally found some form, just three points below us.

It’s frustrating to watch and even more so knowing that the lads are playing some very good rugby at times but the key seems to be three C’s, confidence, concentration and consistency. While we seem to have the ability to put any team on the rack we don’t seem to be able to do it for long periods and kill them off, Worcester were there for the taking on Saturday but we just didn’t push the advantage when we were on fire.

Let’s hope the current predicament is not leading to doubts because it seems at times once we suffer a knock back we go back into our shells to start building up that head of steam from scratch again. Having said that though it was an improvement on the previous weeks showing and despite the doom brigade still rattling on that the end of the world is nigh I still think we are slowly getting there slowly but surely. A month away from the pressures of the Premiership, giving us a breathing space while the game develops and maybe some confidence building along the way might just be what the team needs and what better place to start than at Welford Road this weekend.

So it’s off up the road to our nearest and dearest neighbours on Saturday for the final Powergen Cup group game against Leicester. The group hangs finely in the balance and the game is all but a playoff for a semi-final place at the Millennium Stadium in early March. We currently sit at the top of the group undefeated, four points clear of Tigers, a bonus point could see us through, although that would not be definite and I can see it being an afternoon of bitten fingernails and slide rules as the why’s and wherefores change as the afternoon progresses.

What a confidence boost it would be though if be hook or by crook we edged past Tigers into the final four of the competition. Then who knows what kind of form we will be in by March. It’s even feasible despite our current predicament that that elusive Heineken Cup place could be within our grasp.

That’s all in the future though, on Saturday I’m backing the lads to hang onto the Tigers coat tails and just, only just, book their place at Cardiff. If you cannot make the game, and there are tickets still available, it is live on the BBC.

NEW ZEALAND

Don’t tell Keith Barwell but two weeks ago I passed up going to Yorkshire to watch the Saints and instead headed to his ‘friends’ Nigel and Rupert’s place at Twickenham to see England take on New Zealand. While KB is probably right in saying that the interest in watching the national team is fading the draw of the All Blacks is always going to pack out HQ, even though the atmosphere is a little muted with a gaping hole where the south stand used to be.

Of course the new world order completed their Grand Slam over the four home nations this but against England, who it has to be said were arguably missing their two most influential players in Wilkinson and Dallaglio, they certainly did not look as invincible or indeed as well organised behind the ball as they did in the Lions tour just five months ago.

The question will be raised sooner or later, have New Zealand yet again peaked too early, midway through World Cups? I think, especially with the likes of ex-Saint Wayne Smith involved, that there will be a few more twists and turns yet before France 2007 but I think England too showed they may be on their way slowly but surely towards the form that won the RWC in 2003. They still have a long way to go though but almost pulled off the result and the quote of the day had to go to All Black coach Steve Hansen after his team ground out the win. “They (the All Blacks) showed more guts than I do wearing a pair of Speedo’s.”

ON REFEREES

Okay I admit it, in the heat of the moment I’m likely to question the odd refereeing decision though I purposely never have a go at the performance of the match officials in this column as lord knows there is enough of us amateur whistle blowers on the terraces and in the stands all venting their particular view of how the game should be reffed. However this week, in print, I’ll make an exception as I think even the one eyed chap that stands behind me that shouts “coming in from the side”, “not straight” and “holding on” all afternoon could have done a better job than the referee who officiated on Saturday.

Now don’t get me wrong people shouldn’t be deterred from going into refereeing and youngsters should be encouraged but the display we saw on Saturday plainly was not up to any kind of standard we should be seeing at the top end of the game. It was clear that early on not only had he lost the players (was I the only one who noticed players totally ignore his instructions to move back at a line out?), but he tried to regain his authority by handing out card after card, including one to Seamus Mallon which plainly looked like he had lost the plot completely.

Having said that he did not cost us the game, that was in our own hands but if this is the standard of refereeing coming through it is a worrying trend. I would like to think the guy just had an off day, if not perhaps the powers that be should take a long hard look on the structure, support and training of match officials.

November 10 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
November 10 2005

A bit of a mixed bag of a performance at Vicarage Road on Saturday. The backs again ran in three tries including a superb brace from Sharky Robinson in the opening minutes but the forwards didn’t have the best of days at the coalface as the Sarrie’s pack ground the life out of them.

When all is said and done though we still fought it out to the end and Carlos secured a losing bonus point in the last move of the game.

I would not be too hard on the forwards though, yes they had the runaround for most of the second half but in one flash of inspiration we did see what they were capable of. With the grunt of the Sarries bearing down on our line in yet another maul there was a collective will to not only stop them on our line but to knock them back a full ten metres. In they can apply that grit, drive and determination for long phases we could well be on to something. It was there to see, they can do it, and I’m sure it’s something the forward coaches will be building on this week in the run up to Saturday’s game.

Its back home again this week, and an early kickoff, for the game against Wasps.

As we all know the current champions seem to have a problem with Saints and especially our recruitment over the last few years. First Warren Gatland then Lawrence Dallaglio and lately David Davies feel they have to stick their collective noses into our business and bleat into the bargain about how brilliant they are in helping the greater cause for England. Of course it has been mentioned before in this column that it is a case of do what we say not do what we do as Wasps recruited exclusively from abroad this summer while Saints packed their academy with English stock. And yes we did add a couple of overseas players but then as Budge Pountney says, we embrace all cultures rather than reject people just because of their birthplace.

However I’m sure I’m not the only one who had a wry smile when they saw the starting lineup for England against Australia on Saturday. Both Saints and Wasps have two starters, ours, two homebred boys in Ben and Wally, theirs Josh Lewsey signed from Bristol and Matt Dawson, a product of that club who only invests in overseas talent, yes Northampton.

Even on a bad day though Wasps are a danger and still have class players throughout their side led by Dallaglio. Again it’s a tall order for the lads but I’ve a feeling that the verbal attacks from Wasps over the last year or so might just be about to come back and haunt the team from High Wycombe.

THE SOUND OF DISTANT DRUMS

Although we have had some great days out and performances over the years, Vicarage Road has never exactly been the most hospitable and welcoming of grounds. Just like the Madejski at Reading when its less than half full, as it was on Saturday, it can be a bit soulless and despite what the supporters try and do to get behind their team it always comes across as a bit flat. That’s not to lay anything at the door of the Sarries supporters they try as hard as the next set of fans to get behind their team, it’s just not a good theatre to perform in. To (pardon the pun) drum up a bit of fervour some bright spark has decided to imitate the French clubs and have a drum section installed in the crowd.

The only problem is they are missing the point that in France the likes of Toulouse and Montferrand use the drums to compliment and time the chants and the singing not replace them. For me, and I know a lot of people around me, and they were not all Saints supporters, it was just noise for noise’s sake and not only drowned out the away support but at times the home support too when their team was on the up. Now I know to some this sounds like sour grapes because we lost, and as much has been said when it was mentioned to Saracens supporters this week but when used properly they can add to the atmosphere there’s no doubt about it.

Certainly having seen Saints win just the once in France in eight visits it’s not a case of sour grapes just a case of enjoying the atmosphere, whatever side provides it, rather than the incessant bang, bang, bang of a drums over everything else that adds absolutely nothing to the match day enjoyment.

CIVIL STRIFE AGAIN

So yet again both sides are lining up for the latest skirmish in the clubs v RFU row.

As was pointed out by a friend this week yes the RFU do, do a lot for the game at grass root level that produces the future stars for the Guinness Premiership clubs but this time round I think the RFU have totally lost the plot.

In a quite bizarre press release last week they firstly announced an eight man committee to negotiate with the clubs, then stated that a new initiative that funds 50% of the PRA, the players association, then almost as an afterthought they mentioned towards the end of the document that they were cancelling the 2001 Long Form Agreement because changes they decided on alone, yes alone, in 2004 were not being heeded by the clubs.

Now that sounds a bit to me like wanting your cake and eating it but yet again they state that the clubs not giving adequate access to players for England, despite these days being higher than when we won the World Cup. It does not seem the standard excuse with little relation to reality.

In my view it’s getting down to the last few desperate throws of the dice by men on who it has gradually dawned who actually holds the balance of power in the game. It was the clubs that drove the game forward in both this country and to some extent Europe when the game went professional. Meanwhile during this the RFU went through a series of infighting and self preservation on some people’s part that did little for the health of the game. As more clubs move into profit they will come to rely less on the paymasters at HQ nor be dictated to by committee’s that in some respects have moved on little from Will Carlings 57 varieties.

As someone mentioned this week arbitration may be the only answer, rather that than lengthy court cases such as are planned over the 11 week rest period payments at present.

I can only see it ending in tears.

November 3 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
November 3 2005

When I wrote last week about how I’m quite happy with Saints high risk game plan over a dour nine man strategy, I’m not quite sure I meant as high risk as we saw in the European Challenge Cup defeat at Bristol on Sunday.

Despite taking a slender lead in at halftime we were pretty much taken apart in the first twenty minutes of the second period and a late, late fightback, that thankfully gained a four try bonus point, was not enough to take the game.

However I guess you have to take the rough with the smooth and after the game it was declared by all and sundry at the club that we just didn’t perform or stick to our gameplan. Bearing that in mind, and given that we were coming off a four game unbeaten run, I’d like to think this was just a blip but there are still some hard lessons to be learnt and some failings put right on the paddock this week.

The pack will be further bolstered this week by the arrival of South African (or maybe that’s soon Englishman) Pat Barnard. Given his rave reviews for Western Province in the Currie Cup over the last few months he is sure to be a fine addition to the squad. And given that the last prop to join us from Western Province was Garry Pagel he is following in some highly regarded footsteps. If he can have anything near the effect that Garry did on the Saints, and given his age, we could have made a key signing for years to come. If he does opt for England even more so.

LOOKING AHEAD

This weekend it’s a rare occasion, a Saturday visit to Vicarage Road to take on Saracens. There have been some great days out over the years down at Watford and here’s hoping Saturday is one of them. I’m sure the game that sticks in most peoples minds was that Tetley Bitter Cup quarter final in 2000. The lead changed hands half a dozen times, real end to end stuff. With seconds remaining the Saints held a narrow 34-32 lead after Ben Cohen, who had just been called into the England squad for the first time, scored what looked like the winning try through a mass of bodies.

Saracens hit back straight from the restart to secure the penalty though. Their flyhalf Matt Leek failed with his kick but in trying to clear their lines Saints also failed to put the ball into touch giving Leek a chance to redeem himself with a late drop goal attempt. Its an incident that’s still talked about to this day. Everyone in Gold Black and Green was sure it was wide, everyone in a Fez thought it had sailed between the posts. The person with the best view was Pat Lam standing plumb under the post. He waved to the ref that it had missed, (well what do you expect him to do?), the ref duly obliged, whistled for the end of the game and the Saints went through to the semi finals. From my line of view, directly behind Leek I’ve always thought it really was a 50/50 ball and may well have sailed right over the centre of the post. The next season to ensure it didn’t happen to them again Sarries added an extra few feet to their posts, to this day I’m not quite sure why.

There were a few thousand Saints there that day and given its easy access, straight down the M1 or the direct train, it has always been well attended by Northampton folk. Saturday should not be any different, see you there. Just remember to keep an eye on that Saracens ‘waterboy’ and our quick throw ins.

INTERNATIONALS AHOY

Apart from Guinness Premiership action we also move into a month of international games. Not only do we lose both Ben and Wally to England but David Quinlan and Sean Lamont to Ireland and Scotland respectively. The most eagerly awaited touring team are of course the All Blacks, on current form the outstanding team in world rugby.

It is sad however that the main talking point in their visit is still the Tana Umaga and Kevin Mealamu ‘tackle’ on Brian O’Driscoll in the first Lions test. Yes it was a bad tackle, yes it should probably have been dealt with at the time and yes the laws of the game should be changed to prevent such tackles happening again but to drag it on six months later is doing no one any good let alone O’Driscoll, who is now being portrayed in New Zealand as a simpering whinger and Umaga who is being portrayed in the bloodthirsty media here as some kind of rampant thug.

Talking to former All Black Jamie Joseph a week after the game (yes, name droppers r us!) who knows Umaga well, he commented that it is hard for an outsider to understand but when they get out on that field in an All black jersey “it’s war” but that never in a million years would Tana do anything deliberately that would cause the injuries to a player that O’Driscoll sustained. I tend to believe him.

As Will Greenwood mentioned this week we all know influential players are targeted, every team does it, just ask Carlos, he’s been on the receiving end often enough and even though we’d never like to think it, yes even the teams we follow do it to. That’s not to say this targeting is in any way illegal (well not always), it’s just part and parcel of the game. In all honesty that’s what I think this was, Umaga and Mealamu giving O’Driscoll a reminder that went, through their own reckless actions, tragically wrong. I don’t think there was any premeditated intent to take O’Driscoll out the tour,or the game, completely as has been suggested.

However I think, just like former Saints Garry Pagel and Corne Krige, both labeled at various times as thugs, that Umaga should be cut a bit of slack. It’s time for everyone to move on and get back to the rugby.

FRANKLINS GARDENS

I’m sure I was not alone in getting up in the early hours to watch Maggie Barwell’s horse Franklins Gardens run in the Melbourne Cup in Australia. Unfortunately it did not have the best of races and had tailed off before the final turn. I know through the websites that Saints supporters in the four corners of the world were backing the horse to win but alas it was not to be so instead of being out on the sun kissed golf course this morning smoking fat cigars, I’m here at this desk typing this article. But then, there’s always Bernie to back in the Mascot’s Grand National.

October 27 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
October 27 2005

After a stuttering start to the season that’s four wins in a row for the Saints and on the face of it things are starting to gather pace. Of course there still areas of the team to work on, to be polished and honed but we are starting to look dangerous every time we get the ball.

Despite not putting in an eighty minute performance Saturday’s seven tries against Viadana was testament to that. Throughout the team we seem to want to try things that last year would never have been attempted such was the fear of failure.

Of course it is a high risk enterprise, as Keith Barwell alluded to in his programme notes, and some supporters are exasperated at the type of tries we gifted to London Irish two weeks ago. My personal view is that I go to the Gardens not only to support the Saints but to be entertained as well. I’m pretty sure we are going to get a fair amount of that for our money this season.

If this high risk game means we might gift the odd thing to the opposition then so be it. If it was solely all about winning and closing down the game then we might as well have all upped sticks and gone and watched Leicester a decade ago as the ball spent the afternoon up Dean Richards jumper as Tigers ground out uninspiring win after win. You might go home happy at the win but I doubt you would have seen much in the way of entertainment.

Even Tigers play a more expansive game these days (yes Tigers and expansive in the same sentence, you wouldn’t have put money on that a few years ago) so much as it might have us all pulling our hair out at times, give me this new ‘dangerous’ game any day, nothing ventured, nothing gained and it’s sure going to be a fun ride.

One of the main beneficiaries of the new game is Ben Cohen, his triple on Saturday underlining his return to form. His confidence and exuberance for the game have returned in bucketloads. Most of all he says he is enjoying his rugby again but it was sad to hear that things got so bad last season he was thinking of giving up altogether. His new lease of life is not only a boost for Ben himself but for the club and he’s starting to look like the player he was when he burst onto the international scene. His third try on Saturday was very reminiscent of one he scored against Grenoble at the Gardens, the year we won the Heineken Cup. An omen perhaps?

LOOKING AHEAD

On Sunday it’s off down to Bristol for the second Pool One game in the European Challenge Cup. Bristol, who returned to the domestic top flight, the Guinness Premiership, this season do not on the face of it appear to be taking the ECC as seriously as they are their campaign in the GP. Last week away to Narbonne they made 13 changes from the team that played Saracens the week before.

However they still managed to gain a bonus point in the 20-13 loss and some Bristol supporters present thought that maybe some of those youngsters thrown in the deep end should be more permanent fixtures in the 1st XV. Richard Hill, the Bristol coach, has stated he will be putting out the strongest team possible but with them playing Wasps just five days later in the GP it’s anyone’s guess what side will take the field.

For the Saints a win would in all probability keep them neck and neck with Narbonne at the head of the group before we return to a month of Guinness action. I’m backing the lads to sneak it.

LOSE A BRUCE

Following on from the Saints with Heart walk a couple of weeks back a group of those walking, after either seeing their pictures taking part or realising just how unfit they were at walk end, have decided to go on a sponsored slim in aid of the British Heart Foundation to not only shed a few pounds but improve their general health and fitness.

In a novel way of losing weight the twenty or so that have signed up already, including yours truly (though I still claim I’m big boned), are collectively going to attempt to lose the weight of the players individually starting at fullback, number 15. So first up is the 86 kilograms of Bruce Reihana hence the projects working title ‘Lose a Bruce’. If successful when Bruce has been ‘lost’ we will move onto the wings etc.

POOR OLD CHAVIN

I just don’t know what to make of Gavin Henson. As a player he has got bags of potential theres no doubting that, but he has not exactly done enough in the game to already be penning an autobiography. To fill the gaps in it seems that ‘Chavin’ has chosen to have a go at all and sundry in rugby.

As former ‘Welsh’ international Shane Howarth says, he hasn’t got that much to write about so he has spiced it up for the cash.

Now he might have an axe to grind with the likes of Clive Woodward, Graham Henry and Steve Hansen but long term it’s the attacks on his fellow players that Gavin’s going to find the most problems with. Calling team mates drunkards (and that’s the kettle calling the pot black according to the book) and others being undeserving of wearing the Welsh shirt isn’t going to do him a whole lot of good. Sure, he will be cold shouldered by some and he could find life on tour quite lonely, after all no one will want to socialize too much with someone that makes a habit of telling tales out of school. However he might also find his words are not too good for his health.

You see what Gavin is overlooking is that rugby is a team game. All for one and one for all. The next time he’s at the bottom of a ruck with the opposition raking ten bells out of him I’m not too sure others on his team will be busting a gut to help him out. Perhaps then he might rue the day he got his ghost writer to put pen to paper. But hey, Charlotte says it’s a good read………….

October 20 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
October 20 2005

Last Saturdays result was never in doubt was it? Who am I kidding? In the dozen or so years I’ve been going to the Gardens there’s never been a closer nail biting finish. How Bruce Reihana kept his calm I’ll never know but all credit to him for sending that ball dead centre through the posts.

Bruce stayed as cool as a polar bear chomping on a choc ice – though even he could not bear to look at the ball in flight. The stands erupted to confirm the score and all went home happy after what can only be described as the great escape.

The whole team though must take credit. They fought it out till the bitter end to secure the win, something I’m not quite sure last years model would have done. We might not have played particularly well but heads didn’t go down and we kept grinding away till Ben Cohen stepped inside and went over for the late, late, late try to set up Bruces show stopping finale.

And to top all that we are starting to score tries again. That’s ten in three games now. Top try scorers in the league two years ago, last year we couldn’t find the end zone however many phases we went through. With a backline containing proven try scorers like Bruce, Ben and Stormin’ Norman Lamont I’m sure in the coming months that tally will grow and grow and the odds on the top try scorer being a Saint (the trio are currently 20/1, 40/1 and 100/1 respectively) looks quite tempting if you like a punt. I’m still not quite sure why Carlos was kicking away so much ball on Saturday, the guys a genius there must have been a reason, however once he clicks with these three behind him hitting the ball at pace we will give any side big problems containing us.

That’s not forgetting our two centres. David Quinlan looks a class signing while the player that’s surprised just about everyone is John Clarke in his transition to outside centre. Week on week he gets looks to get more comfortable and confident in his new position. I’m not claiming to be a great visionary but I said in this column a year or so back that when Clarkey came off his wing infield he looked every inch a young John Leslie. For once in my life I’d like to be proved right.

Another revelation this season is Damien Browne in the second row. There were quite a few last year wondering if he brought anything different to the team but this season he has come out all guns blazing and won a much deserved man of the match on Saturday. Perhaps you can put last year down to the disillusionment felt by most of the squad but Damien this term looks like a different player and is all the better for it.

David Gerard alongside him in the second row also looks a good acquisition but sadly with Selbourne Boome’s long term injury there is again some disruption in this area of the team following on from the early season neck damage suffered by James Percival. You have to feel sorry for Selbourne. In the last couple of weeks I think we were just starting to see the real player, I’m sure we all wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully him and James will be driving each other on to full fitness for next year.

It does however leave a hole in the team which will probably have to be filled once Selbournes salary cap allocation is freed up. With the Currie Cup and NPC in their final week the obvious choice would be South African or another New Zealander.

Perhaps though David Gerard should be persuading his friend Fabien Pelous that Weedon Road chips and conkers are preferable to baguettes and boules.

FORZA ITALIA

Saturday sees a change in competition again with the Saints first Group 1 game in the European Challenge Cup. Viadana of Italy are first up. It’s the first time the Saints have played a competitive game against an Italian side at the Gardens, the only previous clash being a 29-9 win away at Padova almost a decade ago. Incidentally that season Saints won all their group games, including an unheard of win in Touloun, but went down to Narbonne, also in this years group, by a single point in France in the quarter finals.

I am sure the lads will want to do well in this competition as yet again it provides a route into next years Heineken Cup and I’m expecting them to lay down the group marker on Saturday. However as Calvisano proved last season in taking some notable scalps, including Baths, Italian sides should not be taken lightly but I believe we will have just too much firepower for them.

SAINTS WITH HEART

Before last Saturdays game, around sixty of us were taking part in this years Saints with Heart charity walk in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

The group was mostly Saints supporters but in the true spirit of the game we were joined by other followers of London Irish, Leicester and Worcester.

Walkers doing the longer 17 mile route were joined by another group of wanderers at Stoke Bruerne for the final eight miles into town.

Yet again the gods smiled on us and it was perfect walking weather and apart from an odd blister and some people taking an hour to get out of bed on the Sunday morning, a good day was had by all.

The Saints in Heart charity was first set up by Richard Lindsley in 2002 after three Saints supporters Bob Stainsby, Rob Leach and Mark Coleman all suffered heart attacks in quick succession all in the prime of life. All made full recoveries, due in part to efforts of the BHF. Indeed all three took part on Saturday and Rob could even be seen on television on Monday evening on Anglia Tonight skipping along the towpath hand in hand with Bernie.

Plans are already afoot for Saints with Heart V, next years fundraiser, watch this space for details.

October 13 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
October 13 2005

Onwards and upwards, the Saints go marching on. On Saturday a fine display of dry weather rugby in some very wet conditions saw the Saints overcome the Dragons of Wales. Again our ‘underpowered’ pack laid the platform for the backs to do their business, running in a bonus point winning four tries.

The pick of these coming from Sharky Robinson who is really back at his best playing inside fellow All Black Carlos Spencer.

Despite a stuttering start we really look like we are going places and on Saturday you couldn’t help but notice something I’ve not seen at the Gardens in quite a while, players enjoying themselves and playing for each other. Long may it continue.

The Powergen Cup fades into the background now until December when we take on the Tigers at Welford Road and this week its back to the bread and butter of the Guinness Premiership with the visit of London Irish. To say Irish have been a bogey side for the Saints at the Gardens is somewhat of an understatement and Saturday is as good a time as ever to finally lay that ghost to rest.

Irish though, as they have proved in the past against us, are another Jeckyll & Hyde side and sometimes well and truly have the luck of the Irish when they travel to Northampton. I’m taking the lads to step above all this though and carry on the work of last Saturday and a win that will start to see us climb that table.

LONG AND WINDING ROAD (well towpath)

This Saturday also sees the fourth annual ‘Saints with Heart’ (or SWH4) sponsored walk for the British Heart Foundation.

A band of hikers will be setting off at first light along river and canal from Wolverton heading to the Gardens meeting up with a second group of walkers, along the way at Stoke Bruerne.
For the young, and a few not so young, there’s a barge trip through Blisworth tunnel in the middle of the walk while the more hardy of us march, as Saints do, over the hill. We should all be arriving at the Gardens around one thirty. Give us a wave.

There will be a bucket shake at the ground in aid of the fund so please fill your pockets with all that unwanted lose change before you head to the ground and if you’re feeling more generous, stop one of us and we will happily take your hard earned cash off you on a sponsor form so we can claim the tax back too.

Having raised over £33,000 in the first three walks we are looking to make this a record year again and every little bit helps so please dig deep.

As part of the SWH4 fundraising there was a quiz night at the Gardens on Friday with around 150 people taking part. A good night was had by all, even those that couldn’t decipher some of Paul Flatts questions. Well done to Paul and Phil Hollis for organising the evening but the biggest question of the night was, was that really our chairman cuddling a stuffed toy of a Tiger. We understand the Leicester supporters who own the ‘alleged’ negatives may be holding them for blackmail purposes at a later date, but no you can’t have Bruce Reihana.

THE DAY THE ALL BLACKS CAME TO THE GARDENS

It seems we all let a centenary pass us by a couple of weeks back. Thursday 28th September 1905 was the one and only time the All Blacks came to the Gardens to play the Saints. It was New Zealand’s first major sporting venture to Great Britain and in a 35 game nine month tour they lost just the once, to Wales, but returned home in triumph and set the benchmark in a new style of rugby. They also laid the foundations of the modern day All Blacks. In New Zealand this team, known as the Originals, are still talked about to this day. Indeed it was through his interest in the history of this tour that Wayne Smith knew something of Northampton before he took over as coach.

Early last century the townsfolk of Northampton, as they headed off to the shoe factories, were surprised to see such ‘modern’methods as the New Zealanders on 7.00am training runs and ‘hi’tech’ jerseys with a silk panel that made tackling harder around the chest. There was great interest in the game locally.

Watched by a crowd of around 6,000 on a midweek afternoon the game was an eight try, 32-0 victory to the New Zealanders and reports of the game suggest ‘the Colonials’ line was not threatened once. The press of the day were in awe of a team that let their backs play with the ball instead of constant mauls and scrummages, they wrote of the unusual sight of a team running lines and having an organised defence.

However they were even more in awe of the size of these ‘giants’. The average weight of the All Blacks was around 12 stone, yes twelve, yet they contained ,monsters’ who tipped the scales at around 15 stone. Lord knows what our grandfathers would think of the six foot two, sixteen stone backs of today, never mind some twenty stone plus forwards. This weight advantage allowed them to play with one less in the pack with the extra man playing as a third centre. The basic structure though is what we see to this day.

It’s a shame in such a congested season that games like this do not exist anymore in the Northern Hemisphere as still up to the mid nineties one of the seasons highlights was the international touring team playing the Midlands on cold winter midweek afternoons. However I guess that’s the price of professionalism but we have not done too bad in recent years in seeing All Blacks on the Gardens turf in Buck Shelford, Andy Blowers, Sharky Robinson, Bruce Reihana, Carlos Spencer and Sam Harding. Now if we could just string together a run of form like their forefathers we’d be laughing.

A footnote: There is currently a display at the Rugby Museum, Twickenham on the 1905 tour and their have been reports of items moving of their own accord and things going bump in the night. Spooky.

October 6 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
October 6 2005

Well another few steps forward this week as a few more parts of the Saints jigsaw clicked into place in the Powergen Cup win at Worcester. Again those in the know predicted that the lads would be overpowered by Worcesters much vaunted pack and be dominated by a superior lineout.

But that threat was soon nullified, not only were the supposedly stronger Worcs pack held at bay and made to play most of the game in their own half but Selbourne Boome and Damo Browne not only cleaned up their own lineout ball but stole half a dozen or so of the opposition throws into the bargain.

The backs carried on their sterling work from Gloucester last week and were a threat all over the park and at the end of the day the score more than flattered a Worcester side whom their coach described at ‘outplayed from one to fifteen’.

The talk of the day was of course the return to try scoring form of Ben Cohen. It’s good to see him playing with fire and a bit of a spring in his step again. The catalyst may well have been the axing from this weeks England squad but if he does the job for the Saints I’m sure Andy Robinson will soon be back knocking on his door.

So on Saturday we go into the second game Powergen Cup game with Saints heading their group. A win at the Gardens against the Dragons of Wales will see the Saints move clear and with a trip to Welford Road in early December to come a berth in the semi finals of this competition is well within reach. First however we must overcome the team from Gwent.

As the Dragons showed last week in their win over the Tigers they can play up there with the best but they are having a bit of a Jeckyll and Hyde season. Languishing in the nether regions of the Celtic League, two weeks ago the Welsh rugby programme ScrumV basically pulled apart their game and the disorganisation and lack of leadership on the field.

Of course they turned things round last weekend but it seems like their supporters are never quite sure which Dragons are going to turn up and I’ve a feeling that if we get under their skin early on, and the crowd can play a big part in this, we can take a step near the trip to Wales for the semi finals. There’s a lot of rugby to be played before then though and that game against Tigers in December could well be a winner takes all game for the group.


SAINTS WITH HEART

This week sees the start of this years Saints with Heart IV fundraising, in aid of the British Heart Foundation, begin in earnest. On Friday around 30 teams will compete in a giant quiz night at the Gardens with all proceeds going to the BHF while the main event, the sponsored walk is only ten days away. However an intrepid Saints supporter, along with his gang of little helpers, have already started the ball rolling with a mini walk of their own.

Last weekend Chris Hoddle, a Northamptonian now living and teaching in Lancashire organised the ‘Saints with Heart Northern Walk’ enlisting many of his schoolchildren and their parents (and not forgetting Bilbo the dog) to the cause. A walk for the smaller children on the Friday was followed by a two tier walk on the Sunday for all, aided and abetted by the local mountain rescue team. When all is counted Chris, who still attends just about every Saints game, hopes that it will add around £2,000, including £100 from Bilbo, to the SWH4 kitty.

For those wishing to donate to Saints with Heart you can either fill your pockets with change to fill the SWH4 before you come to the gardens on the 15th for the Irish game or you can now donate directly online at http://www.bhf.org.uk/sponsor/robertstainsby/

CENTRAL CONTRACTS, NO THANKS

I see yet another club v country skirmish is on the horizon with the RFU stating that they want to centrally contract (or ‘player share’ as the spin goes) the English elite squad. Now quite why a team, be it the national one or not, that only plays eight games a year should have control over players for 52 weeks is beyond me but again the ‘excuse’ of player welfare is being bandied about. Now while it should always be a main concern this suggests, to me anyway, that the RFU think. 1: the clubs are not responsible employers and will overuse the players, 2: if, as a player, you are outside the elite squad you don’t warrant their ‘protection’ anyway.

Surely if it is the number of games people are playing then a properly structured season and a reduction in games played for ALL players is the way forward. It seems odd to me that we hear player burnout on one hand then see the sanctioning of expanded competitions like the Powergen Cup on the other.

Another reason stated by the RFU is Andy Robinson’s access to the English players building up to the next World Cup.

Now the clubs have already offered extra training days and it should not be forgotten that in his last year in charge Clive Woodward never used all the days at his disposal, despite his protestations at his resignation. It should also be remembered one of the first people Sir Clive thanked after England won the World Cup were the very clubs that are now being held as responsible for Robinsons 50% success rate. You can’t have it both ways when nothing has changed in the meantime re access.

Sadly, now the political infighting is yet again starting to overshadow whatever is happening on the pitch and the scapegoat excuse that’s it is all the clubs doing is wearing a bit thin. Perhaps someone should sit down with those at the coalface, the players, the people most affected and ask them exactly where they stand on this and then move forward with their vision on how they should be handled. I won’t hold my breath though and no doubt, yet again, we are in for another round of tit for tat point scoring with those very players left as pawns in the middle.

September 29 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
September 29 2005

When I spoke last week about talking steps backwards and forwards and the huge learning curve ahead I didn’t envisage things happening in quite the manner we saw on Saturday. Despite the defeat the team has come on leaps and bounds from the one that struggled to come to terms with Newcastle.

Had we had the rub of the green (yes that old chestnut), we may well have come away with the result but there were still a lot of pluses to take from the game. The pack look like they are turning the corner and the suspected going over by the Gloucester forwards never materialised. With the front eight being bolstered further by the arrivals of Sam Harding, Pat Barnard and a further lock (**note: insert name David Gerard if the club confirm signing**) and youngsters like Mark Easter stepping up to be counted this area of the team is beginning to look like the unit we all hope will more than hold its own as the season progresses. I also suspect we have started to see the real Selbourne Boome, who played like a man possessed when he came on.

In the backs Carlos is starting to show those deft touches we know he is capable of (the chip and catch ahead of Wally’s try was worth the entry fee alone) and week on week there is more of an understanding in our back division. So despite being edged out there are signs of a lot of hope in Saints season.

ON UNCONCONTESTED SCRUMS

Saturday’s game also courted controversy with all manner of accusations aimed at Saints after the uncontested scrums saga. We hear so much about the welfare of players being paramount but as soon as Saints advised the referee that we no longer had a fit front row due to injury and yellow cards the sanctimonious and the misinformed pipe up with all kind of nonsense.

The presenters from Sky, especially Stuart Barnes, were chomping at the bit about rules and laws having to be changed to prevent uncontested scrums happening. Are these guys for real? They were even suggesting Steve Thompson should hook despite being made aware he was carrying a neck injury. In fact if they had taken note in the first half that Dan Richmond had replaced the yellow carded Dylan Hartley instead of Wally logically moving from back to front row then they might have engaged brain before bleating about cheating. It also has to be said that Sky’s pitch side correspondent, Graham Simmons was helping matters not a jot with his antics, rushing between Dean Ryan and fourth official Chris White inflaming things further.

They are there to report on the game, not influence it.

Now from an officials point of view surely if someone tells you a player is injured you must take that at face value or it opens you up to all kind of problems. Very few, probably none, of the people commenting on the situation are medical experts yet by some of the comments made in the media and on various websites by supporters of other clubs this week you would think the NHS doctor shortage could be solved at a stroke as all and sundry seem to know the condition of both Wally and Dylan just by looking at their television sets.

Some would argue of course that the present system is open to abuse and will be used by unscrupulous coaches to prevent their team from further punishment when on the back foot. Well maybe so, although I don’t think this happened on Saturday. I don’t know what these people suggest is done, do they really expect a referee to force people to play after a declaration of injury, putting them in danger of complicating the injury or worse? Even a medical practitioner cannot make snap decisions like that, remember James Percival’s injury, it took a couple of days before it was discovered he had broken a bone in his neck.

In my mind it is better to keep a system that’s not perfect, and have this problem rearing its ugly head every now and then than one where an untrained person may make an error of judgement on a players fitness and both suffer the consequences.

ON REFEREEING

The uncontested scrums were not the only point of rugby law that was open to misinterpretation on Saturday. Some of referee Dave Pearson’s decisions on Saturday left most scratching their head. Saints could probably argue about a penalty try being given in the opening minutes after a certain try was prevented. A card was issued but no try, what could have been a very handy 14-0 lead instead minutes later was 7-7.

That’s by the by and you have to take the rough with the smooth but the yellow card situation did leave a sour taste in the mouth. There’s no arguing that Tom Smith, Dan Richmond and Dylan Hartley deserved their cards, in fact Dylan was lucky it was not red for punching. Steve Thompson’s card, right after the uncontested scrums was harsh to say the least. In midfield, Wally had no chance to roll away from the tackle as no sooner was he down than the Gloucester pack were trundling all over him, yet Mr Pearson was quicker to his pocket than Billy the Kid was on the draw.

What compounded this harshness was that moments later the very same offence took place, this time with no attempt to roll away, right on the Gloucester line preventing quick ball and what might have been a game winning score for Saints. Mr Pearson’s reaction, penalty, no card. Baffling. I would like to think his judgement wasn’t blinded by the uncontested scrum issue but for all the world the Thompson card looked like a levelling of the books.

TIGERS NIL

Like 1500 other people I forsook the latest twist in the tale between Les Battersby and Status Quo and headed for the Gardens on Monday night to watch the Saints A team, the Wanderers, play their Leicester rivals in the Guinness A League.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a Saints side, at any level, push a Tigers side all round the park but that’s exactly what the, mostly young side, did as they nilled Tigers in a 36-0 victory. There were some question marks over the strength of the Leicester side, as most of their reserve players had played in the first team at Leeds on Sunday (how bad does that make Leeds given the ease of Tigers win), but there’s no escaping the fact that we have some exciting talent waiting in the wings, and if that was our future on show it looked very bright. 

September 22 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
September 22 2005

No sooner had we got over the euphoria of the win at Bath than we were well and truly dropped back to earth with a bang when a no more than ordinary Newcastle side came, saw and conquered at the new look Gardens on Saturday.

Before the game the stage was all set, sunshine, a packed house, the pitch looking like a bowling green and the supporters in good voice, more of which later, and you had the feeling it was going to be our day. After the opening few minutes you were certain it was going to be our day as we took the Falcons to the cleaners, then reality struck as they broke away for the first try which seemed to mentality affect the team and the crowd. Whether it’s the memory of last year still lingering or there wasn’t much on the park worth cheering but neither group raised their game until an unlikely draw became a reality in the closing minutes. Alas even that was not to be and we took a single losing point from a game that all but looked like a five point banker after those initial few minutes.

So where do we go from here. Well to be fair to the new setup the team is still a work in progress, it is still a massive learning curve, but after last weeks display against Bath I know I’m not the only supporter who traipsed his way away from the Gardens feeling somewhat flat and disappointed.

We can all hope we learn from Saturdays experience where old warhorses Owen Finegan and Colin Charvis gave us an object lesson in how to slow down and stop a game and while last weeks lesson of giving away penalties seems to have been heeded this weeks blackboard subject must surely be how to retain the ball in contact.

I’m not downhearted yet though, that win at Bath proved it can be done and with the pack about to be bolstered by Pat Barnard, who is getting rave reviews in South Africa, and Sam Harding from Canterbury (and it is rumoured a southern hemisphere lock) we should be taking steps forward rather than the one back we took on Saturday. While our centre partnership looks like it still needs tuning we have got a backline that on paper should be firing, a procession of good clean ball might just ignite that.

ORF DAIN GLOUCESTER

It’s back down to the West Country on Saturday to take on Gloucester at Castle Grim (Kingsholm). The venue of a most unexpected win towards the end of last season it is again another tall order for the lads. Gloucester upped a gear last week beating surprise table toppers Bristol at the Memorial Ground and being at home will be flying high, we have to endeavour, just like last year, to knock them off their perch.

A word of warning for those of you thinking of taking the train, (via Birmingham), down to Gloucester. Saturdays service is suspended and buses replace the trains along this route and could not only cause delays but add several hours to your journey.

NO THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC

I know I’m not alone in thinking this and going by the messages on both the clubs official website and comeonyousaints.com it seems the vast majority think the same way, why do the team have to run out to music other than the club song? Has anybody thought of the supporters position on this, after all aren’t we all in this together? Now I know this is seen as a team building tool and I am not suggesting they do away with it altogether it’s just the whole timing of the whole thing. Call me old fashioned but if you run out to 12,000 people supporting your club singing your club song and you feel you need something else to replace When the Saints Go Marching In on to the pitch to raise your game then perhaps I’m missing the point and then maybe we are not so much that 16th man the players have mentioned in recent weeks, certainly not if an outside influence can replace us at the traditional Gardens greeting. Just like the team we need our warm up too, not a disjointed one, and whilst on Saturday ‘Oh When the Saints’ may have been sung with great gusto once the new tune stopped drowning us out I think most people gave it their all to outdo the new music rather than compliment it. But then perhaps that’s the master plan, its there to fire us up, not the team, but seriously I know a lot of people felt it was an intrusion into that most traditional welcome that is unique amongst all the top flight clubs.

As I said before though there’s no need to do away with the music altogether if it does serve the team but perhaps the timing could be better, play their chosen tunes during the warmup, blast them in the changing room and down the tunnel but when it comes to entering the arena it should be one club, one voice. Perhaps a signal from Lennie Newman, Geoff Allen or whoever to Tink and Billy who usually lead the singing to fire up ‘Oh Wendy’ when the players are ready, then all would be well with the world rather than the stop start scenario we had on Saturday which I know irked a lot of the support who felt they were being replaced. One club, one voice.

NARBONNE

Although its still three months off any Saints supporters thinking of making a trip south to Narbonne just before Christmas should be thinking of making those plans now before those cheap flight prices start to creep up. You cannot fly to Narbonne direct but there are several options available and supporters have already booked flights via Toulouse, Montpellier, Perpignan, Carcosonne and some intrepid folks via Barcelona. Narbonne links with all these destinations by a reliable rail service and tickets for these can also now be booked on the net in English up two months in advance.

As for hotels the La Residence and Le Languedoc look the favourites in the town centre while the standard chain hotels like the Novotel & Ibis are a taxi ride away on the outskirts of town.

As for bars, I’ll keep you posted but friends from London Irish inform me ‘The Globe’ was a favourite haunt as it is owned by someone from the Narbonne club.

September 15 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
September 15 2005

So after all the worry it seems like we should have heeded the words of Corporal Jones instead of Private Fraser last week as Saturday’s victory over Bath at the Recreation Ground showed there was indeed no reason to panic, things are on the up.

In a turnaround from the week before’s game at Leicester the Saints, at the behest of Coach Budge, did indeed ‘get in Bath’s faces all day’ and held their much vaunted pack at bay for the full 80 mins. Behind the pack it was the All Black trio of Bruce, Sharky and Carlos that caught the eye of the pundits present but the work rate of the other dozen or so players especially the likes of Darren Fox, Jon Clarke and Sean Lamont making his full debut that made this an all round team victory.

Now I know that most of us if we are brutally honest (and opened up our second eye now and then) were a touch worried when the fixture list came out that, given the opposition, we might be stranded at the foot of the table with nothing much to show after two games so to gain four points already is somewhat of a bonus certainly after the drubbing in game one at Tigers. All said and done the people of Northampton will be sleeping a little easier in their beds this week.

Although the seven day turnaround in form was remarkable, even more so given the monsoon conditions that you thought would suit Bath’s steamroller pack, there is still work to be done. I’m sure one of the coaches priorities again this week will be cutting out those penalties that could prove costly not only in points scored, if we came up against a player that kick, but in the potential for referees losing their patience with us and brandishing the odd card or two. Overall though

I think we can move with some confidence into Saturdays game against Newcastle at the Gardens.

FALCONS ON A FLIGHT OF FANCY?

So after a long not so hot summer and two weeks out on the road its back home for the first game of the season on Saturday at a revamped Franklins Gardens and it can’t come too soon. There’s always something special hearing Geoff Allen on the mike announcing ‘Welcome to Franklins Gardens home of Northampton Saints’ and I know for a lot of people it marks the real start to the season. With a packed house a new South Stand to gaze at and the weather outlook looking good it could be one to savour.

It will also mark the home debuts of several players and whilst many eyes will be on the man himself Carlos Spencer I’m sure you will greet each and every one with a extra load Gardens roar.

The visitors are Newcastle Falcons who are having a bit of a rocky start to the season. They ran some peoples tip for the top Sale very close in the opening week of the league but then surprisingly lost at home to new boys Bristol, who even more surprisingly head the table.

However, as with any team in the Guinness Premiership they cannot be taken lightly and have some class acts in their ranks including the likes of Matt Burke, Colin Charvis and Owen Finegan. Ex-Saint Robbie Morris may also be returning to prove a point or two. The Gardens has never been a happy hunting ground for the Falcons however and I’m taking our lads to edge this one to send us all home happy.

POOR OLD WILKO

One player missing from the Newcastle line up is Jonny Wilkinson. Since the World Cup poor Jonny has seemed to have more injuries and ailments than Shane Warne has taken wickets and his appendix operation this week puts him out for a further two months. Of course it was the marketing mans dream, the two most well known No.10’s on the planet up against each other in a Carlos v Wilko duel. Alas it is not to be but given Wilkinsons effect on the game last season when he came off the bench and almost won the game for Falcons, I’m certainly not too down about it.

Talking of cricketers wasn’t it good to see that one of the successful Ashes winning side, Ian Bell, mentioned in an interview last week that he likes to spend his spare time going to see some rugby side called Northampton Saints.

WASPS STING........ YET AGAIN

This is rapidly becoming a regular series in this column, but yet again, ‘Just what is Wasps problem with Northampton?’ Taking up the mantle from the departing Warren Gatland the High Wycombe clubs recent signing from soccer, former FA supremo David Davies chose to start squawking about Saints recruitment policy and how it is damaging the English game. He even went on record to say he was ‘depressed’ about the players we had signed. But then again, just like when Wasps Lawrence Dallaglio poked his nose into our business last year on the England captaincy issue its again a case of do what we say not do what we do.

Over the summer Saints have secured a whole raft of young English players including the likes of Dylan Hartley, already making headway in the first team. And who did Wasps sign? Well here’s the list.

Peter Bracken (prop - Connacht, IRELAND), Leon Holden (technical coach – NEW ZEALAND), Ian McGeechan (director of rugby - SCOTLAND), Eoin Reddan (scrum-half IRELAND), Jeremy Staunton (fly-half/full-back - Harlequins - IRELAND), Raphael Ibanez (hooker - Saracens - FRANCE).

Yep not an Englishman among them. So perhaps if Mr Davies really gets so depressed about other clubs business he might care to take a look at his own first, then reach for the Prozac.

SAINTS WITH HEART 4

Plans are already underway for this years Saints with Heart charity walk in aid of the British Heart Foundation which will take place prior to the London Irish game on October 15th. Again there will be two walks, an 18 mile route march from Wolverton meeting up with a 8 mile hike from Stoke Bruerene. If you want to take part, help out on the day or just sponsor someone please email Bob Stainsby at saintswithheart@comeonyousaints.com.

As part of this years SWH4 funraising there will also be a Saints with Heart Quiz Night taking part at Franklins Gardens on Friday 7th October. Entry is per team of four at £20 per team, all profits to the BHF. Email Paul Flatt at pflatt2@btinternet.com for details.

Lets see if we can raise more than the £20, 000 plus raised last year.

September 8 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
September 8 2005

So here we are, another season is upon us and going by Saturday’s performance yet another year of the emotional up and downs on the proverbial rollercoaster that constitutes a Saints season. I know the Private Frasers of this world will be telling us we’re doomed already.

No doubt the Corporal Jones are insisting we don’t panic, don’t panic but in my mind there was not a whole lot to be gleaned from the weekends effort that’s going to define our season.

A new side in their first competitive game, away to our biggest rivals, was hardly going to be a cakewalk and there’s not many, hand on heart, who thought a victory was on the cards. However the manner of the defeat and seeing our club described as ‘woeful’, ‘deplorable’ and ‘playing like 15 Tommy Coopers’ in the national press is bound to sow seeds of doubt in some minds and a repeat performance this Saturday at Bath will start to set a few alarm bells ringing but while Budge and Grayse may be regarded as inexperienced they’re no fools and will know what they saw on Saturday was not an acceptable standard and is not going to win us a whole lot this season.

At the end of the day though it’s their job to put it right but one I believe they are fully capable of doing as part of a long term plan.

For sure, there is still a lot of work to be done, some of it in the very short term, progress does have to be made, but it is maybe better we get this early kick up the backside, however galling it is to get it at Welford Road, than potter along like we did last year, week in week out, clutching at straws believing the bounce of the ball, the rub of the green and a gypsy curse was at the root of our problems till nearly all was lost. I am sure if action needs to be taken Budge and Grayse, being club guys through and through, will take them, whatever peoples reputation or standing.

We have seen this already with the selection of the likes of Dylan Hartley on Saturday (one of the few shining lights), for once we do have coaches that believe if you are good enough you are old enough. Given our current squad, competitiveness for every position across the board could be key to our season.

I also think the pair will be upfront and straight in their communication, more like Wayne Smith instead of the stock in trade ‘Sollyisms’ we suffered last year when the chips were down.

Budges comments may have got him in hot water before now but there’s nothing us supporters like more than to hear bluntly how it is rather than the soundbite. (Although Budges ‘marathon not sprint’ comment raised a few eyebrows on Saturday I’d like to think this was more down to his wicked sense of humour rather than a serious quip him knowing full well how much his predecessor was taken to task for using the very same words last season).

So the guys should be given time, although of course its not a commodity in great supply. Bath on Saturday will again be a tough one but like most people I’m expecting to see a few strides forward when Rob Andrew’s Newcastle visit in two weeks.

VICTORY OR THROWN AWAY WITH THE BATH WATER?

Whilst, as I mentioned earlier, our defeat at Tigers was not totally a surprise, one result that did make people sit up and take notice was new boys Bristol beating local rivals Bath. The team from the Rec will be smarting and looking to get back on track and I’m sure will have seen what Tigers pack did to us on tape this week. It is again a tough proposition for the lads but could be another step along that rapid learning curve and who knows if that backline clicks, given Baths performance on Sunday, it’s not totally outside the realms of possibility that something more concrete might be taken from this game. Certainly the pressure is on the home side.

The Saints Supporters Club are running coaches to Bath, they will be leaving Franklin’s Gardens at 9am.The prices are: Adults: £13 Children/Students/OAPs: £8. To book places on the SSC coaches, please call Jean Collingwood today (Wednesday) on 01604 583283, after 6pm, with your name, telephone number and the number of seats. Alternatively you can now book seats, by texting 07771918245 with your name, the number of seats & the match.

YEP I'M BORING YOU WITH NZ STORIES STILL

Having spent a few weeks in New Zealand for the Lions tour I had the chance to gauge what the Kiwis thought of our new signings. For King Carlos it seems there is no middle ground. Down in ‘Mehrtens country’, Canterbury it seems Carlos isn’t their cup of tea while the further we headed north the more that opinion thawed until we hit Auckland where the guys nothing less than a legend. One ‘Orc’ told us ‘You’ve not only signed Carlos, you’ve also got me as a supporter for life, if its good enough for Carlos it’s got to be good enough for me mate’. The Cantabs were more effusive about Sam Harding, several of their supporters said he’d do a good job for us and what a fine addition to our squad once he heads north after the NPC.

Talking of the NPC its good to see two ex-Saints doing so well early in their coaching careers over in New Zealand. Brendon Ratcliffes Hawkes Bay head Division Two undefeated, taking maximum bonus points all the way so far while Pat Lams Auckland (not to be confused with the Blues) head Division One having just dropped one point this season. With Wayne Smith helping mastermind the All Blacks Lions series win and the Tri Nations success it seems we are well represented down in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Certainly a lot of NZ rugby supporters we talked to had heard of Northampton, maybe even more so in the Mount Eden area of Auckland. On the Friday before the last Lions test the Saints night arranged in a local bar certainly went down a storm. Ex-pat Saint Chris Sansome had booked a table for 16 while I though maybe a couple of dozen might turn up as we had been spreading the word not only back here in the UK but all over NZ. We were both however slightly taken aback when around 150 people turned up at various stages of the night in Saints shirts taking the place over. A good night was had by all and we’ll see you all again in Cape Town in 2009.

May 6 2005

Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
By Chris Gleadell
May 6 2005

Well that’s it folks, as the emotional rollercoaster that is a Saints season finally grinds to a halt its one last huge sigh of relief as the we survive to play rugby another day in the newly sponsored Guinness Premiership. And boy did we need a pint of the black stuff afterwards.

Being kept in touch of what was happening elsewhere by supporters of both teams linked up to radios and mobile phones there was an agonising few minutes until the result from the Stoop came through. Whilst Worcester fans were going wild as they were definitely safe we were left in limbo until the new came through that Mark Cueto’s (now dubbed Saint Mark the Saviour) late try for Sale consigned Harlequins to National Division One. We knew it had been close but I did not realise how close until I watched the Quins Sale game on television on Sunday morning. Only the width of a fleas armpit saw Jeremy Staunton’s late penalty for Quins sail wide, a successful kick would have relegated the Saints. Now whilst last week I was lamenting that its times like these that make the successful times more sweeter I’m pretty sure I do not want to go through a few minutes like that again in a hurry.

So now our season horriblis is over its time to look to the future. As Keith Barwell admitted this week the appointment and subsequent reign of Alan Solomons was a ‘cock up’ and I’m still not sure we’ll ever know the full story of how things went so wrong so quickly. The appointment of Budge certainly steadied the ship and whilst he and Paul Grayson are still viewed as rookies in coaching terms they can now start to build a team with their style and personnel that will hopefully take Saints back to the top.

Certainly picking up another mans squad and gameplan halfway through a season when they were at their lowest ebb cannot have been easy and keeping the Saints afloat as their first aim has been achieved but now I suspect the real hard work begins. The rumour mill is already in full swing as to who will be playing for us next year, Carlos Spencer does indeed look like a ‘done deal’ and may well be by the time you read this while the name Xavier Rush has also been mentioned in dispatches, while other big signings are already rumoured to be in the pipeline. The addition of the likes of Robbie Kidd and Sean Lamont will strengthen a backline that never got anywhere near the form it had in 2003/2004 when they ran in 66 tries in the ZP.

Add this to some youngsters coming up like Luke Myring, Neil Starling and Ben Jones and the influx of younger potential Saints of quality to the academy and things do seem brighter than they were six months ago. It’s now down to Budge and his team of coaches to mould them into a force to be reckoned with. Yet again its going to be an exciting time once we hit the ground running in August.

WORCESTER SUPPORTERS - GOOD EGGS

What a damned fine lot the Worcester supporters were. Given the importance and tension of the day you would think everyone would be on tenterhooks, nervous and not in the least interested in being jovial but on Saturday both sets of supporters made the couple of hours before kick off a real carnival atmosphere at Sixways. Maybe it was a sense of ‘whatever will be will be’ but both sets of fans mingled laughed joked and made merry before the off.

Of course the game was tense but still this atmosphere continued and given the weight of the day somewhat surreal.

At game end as our result filtered through the Worcester contingent were first to pat backs and shake hands to congratulate us and even two people who had ‘vigorously exchanged words’ about a refereeing decision earlier were seen hugging each other. In the bars afterwards I don’t think I have ever shaken so many hands or turned down so many offers of a drink. They were a real credit to their club and a worthy addition to the Premiership family. Just like us though the hard work for them begins in earnest. Now they are no longer a novelty or the plucky underdogs but just one of the premiership boys, another team, and talking to their supporters afterwards they would not have it any other way. On Saturday Worcester arrived and it’s certainly one place I’ll look forward to going back to next season.

FAREWELL SHINE

I can’t let the season go without a mention for Shane Drahm. Shanes only been with us two seasons but I’m sure his contribution to the club will live long in the memory. Last season he orchestrated that backline that scored so many tries and was the real lynchpin of the side. An alternative to Paul Graysons game he offered us something different and when he turned it on we seemed to click.

Now maybe we have not clicked so much this year, and Alan Solomons rating of Drahmy cannot have done his confidence any good but when the club asked for people to stand up and be counted its been Shane that more often than not has stepped up to the plate in recent weeks. Saturday was a case in point, for the last two weeks the media were questioning whether a kick from Shane would relegate Saints or his new employers Worcester. There was talk of mental turmoil for the player and undue pressure. Obviously no one told Shane, on Saturday he was his cool calm collective consummate professional self, on the outside at least, and gave it his all in the last game for the club. Good luck ‘Shine’, just don’t come back to haunt us.

CORNE KRIGE, NOT SUCH A DEVIL

One last word on Corne Krige. On joining the club some would have you believe we were signing the very devil himself. How wrong they were. He played it hard but fair (as fair as an openside can be) and in one whole season, despite some quarters declaring we had signed South Africas thug in chief , he did not receive a single yellow or red card.

FAREWELL

Well that’s this column finished for another season, so in parting I’d like to wish my six readers, and my Aunt in Devon, a good summer. Me, I’m off to New Zealand for a month to watch the Lions, it’s a hard life but someone’s got to do it. so hopefully I’ll see you all again in September (if the Editor lets me). Enjoy!