After a week where those Saints players not involved in the Six Nations were left kicking their heels its back to Zurich Premiership action on Sunday with a game at the ‘Lost’ Causeway against European Champions Wasps.
It is yet again a tall order and High Wycombe has never been a happy hunting ground for the Saints but there is no way to go but up and I can see the lads being fired up for this one. Picking from an almost full squad including new signing Billy Fulton its not outside the realms of possibility that they will get something out of this game. Catch Wasps cold, and they are coming into this game on a run of three defeats, and who knows, maybe a shock might be on the cards. I am sure the likes of Ben Cohen, Steve Thompson and Tom Smith will be chomping at the bit to get back into league action.
Every point from here on in is vital, picking up something on Sunday would not only be a minor triumph but a great moral booster.
Of course we can all play our part too by being there to cheer them on. The Saints Supporters Club will also be running coaches to Wasps, on Sunday 20th February. They will be leaving Franklin’s Gardens, from the VIP car park, at 11.30am.Adults: £12 Children/Students/OAPs: £7. Call Jean Collingwood on 01604 583283, AFTER 6pm, with your name, telephone number and the number of seats. Remember if you are driving parking is not at a premium around the ground so get there early.
FAREWELL CORNE
It was suprising to see Corne Krige announce his retirement this week. He has done more than his fair share for the club and it’s a shame to see him go but I can fully understand him wanting to call it a day while his body is still in one piece, especially when you consider some of the cheapshots he has had to endure this season from the likes of Leeds Richard Parks. He may have only been here a short while but he has won over all those doubted his credentials before he signed. He’s given his all week in and week out and has always been near the top in our man of the match polls. His approach has been hard but fair (well as fair as an openside can be) and in all that time not a single yellow or red card. Not quite the ‘thug’ some people out there would believe we had signed.
One story really summed up the character of the guy. Last week a family from Mainz in Germany came to the Gardens to see their very first game of live rugby. It seems that the youngster of the family, six year old Philipp, became hooked on rugby during a holiday to South Africa and proclaimed his hero to be our very own Mr Krige. Although Phillipp was a little upset over the loss to Saracens, he was over the moon that Corne had scored a try almost at his feet.
At the 1stXV briefing after the game Phillipp was the star of the show wandering around the podium, introducing himself and getting autographs from the great and good. One problem however. Due to a mix up Corne had headed straight home to be with wife Justine and daughter Sophia, still only a few days old.
However being the all round good egg that he is as soon as heard by phone that Phillipp was at the club Corne hopped in his car and came straight back to the club to meet up with the slightly overawed youngster, making it a day he will never forget. It is no mean feat to earn that Saintsman tag in such a short time but I feel Corne has done himself proud both on and off the pitch. So it is back to Cape Town for the Krige family at season end, I, along I’m sure with many others, wish them well.
A DIFFERENT VIEW
For Saints home games I spend my afternoons with the rest of the great unwashed in C Block so it was with some trepidation that I hit the heights to mix with the posh lot in one of the Gardens hospitality boxes for Friday nights England U21 international And what a difference!
Of course I have always known we have the best purpose built club rugby ground in the country but, after getting over my vertigo, I have to say what an even more impressive sight the Gardens looks under the floodlights from on high.
And whilst out the reach of most pockets for watching the Saints it’s not as expensive as you might think for these one off representative games. A friend organized a couple of boxes which we shared the cost on and all things considered, it came in at probably not that much more than the cost of a seat for the game. A good evening all round, bar the result, and well worth consideration in the future if any of you are thinking of seeing how the other half live for a one off although I’ll be quite happy back in with the hoi polloi come the Tigers game.
REFEREES, DON'T YOU JUST LOVE EM?
Seems the man in the middle is coming in for increased criticism from all sides at the moment, even prompting international coach Paddy O'Brien to suggest that coaches should be more accountable in their post match comments. I sit on the fence on this one, we all have off days, and should expect some flak if we do, but I do think the refs are becoming an all too easy target at times, especially from supporters when we lose.
Therefore I was quite amused to read the following about an unnamed ref this week.
“He is a rugby shylock who insists on his pound of flesh and enforces the game to the very last letter of the law. The effect is to reduce the game to a state of paralysis. There is nothing more irritating to players or spectators than his incessant blowing of the whistle. He gets involved in too many constantly occurring instances which are trivial and have no influence on the game which a better referee would simply close his eyes too. In a word he is punctilious!”
Now if Budge had said that about Steve Lander last week, no doubt he would have been in even hotter water, (and be accused of swallowing a dictionary) but what made me smile was that this was written over a hundred years ago in 1898 by Harry Vassall the great rugby thinker who developed forward play.
And they say things aint what they used to be?
Every point from here on in is vital, picking up something on Sunday would not only be a minor triumph but a great moral booster.
Of course we can all play our part too by being there to cheer them on. The Saints Supporters Club will also be running coaches to Wasps, on Sunday 20th February. They will be leaving Franklin’s Gardens, from the VIP car park, at 11.30am.Adults: £12 Children/Students/OAPs: £7. Call Jean Collingwood on 01604 583283, AFTER 6pm, with your name, telephone number and the number of seats. Remember if you are driving parking is not at a premium around the ground so get there early.
FAREWELL CORNE
It was suprising to see Corne Krige announce his retirement this week. He has done more than his fair share for the club and it’s a shame to see him go but I can fully understand him wanting to call it a day while his body is still in one piece, especially when you consider some of the cheapshots he has had to endure this season from the likes of Leeds Richard Parks. He may have only been here a short while but he has won over all those doubted his credentials before he signed. He’s given his all week in and week out and has always been near the top in our man of the match polls. His approach has been hard but fair (well as fair as an openside can be) and in all that time not a single yellow or red card. Not quite the ‘thug’ some people out there would believe we had signed.
One story really summed up the character of the guy. Last week a family from Mainz in Germany came to the Gardens to see their very first game of live rugby. It seems that the youngster of the family, six year old Philipp, became hooked on rugby during a holiday to South Africa and proclaimed his hero to be our very own Mr Krige. Although Phillipp was a little upset over the loss to Saracens, he was over the moon that Corne had scored a try almost at his feet.
At the 1stXV briefing after the game Phillipp was the star of the show wandering around the podium, introducing himself and getting autographs from the great and good. One problem however. Due to a mix up Corne had headed straight home to be with wife Justine and daughter Sophia, still only a few days old.
However being the all round good egg that he is as soon as heard by phone that Phillipp was at the club Corne hopped in his car and came straight back to the club to meet up with the slightly overawed youngster, making it a day he will never forget. It is no mean feat to earn that Saintsman tag in such a short time but I feel Corne has done himself proud both on and off the pitch. So it is back to Cape Town for the Krige family at season end, I, along I’m sure with many others, wish them well.
A DIFFERENT VIEW
For Saints home games I spend my afternoons with the rest of the great unwashed in C Block so it was with some trepidation that I hit the heights to mix with the posh lot in one of the Gardens hospitality boxes for Friday nights England U21 international And what a difference!
Of course I have always known we have the best purpose built club rugby ground in the country but, after getting over my vertigo, I have to say what an even more impressive sight the Gardens looks under the floodlights from on high.
And whilst out the reach of most pockets for watching the Saints it’s not as expensive as you might think for these one off representative games. A friend organized a couple of boxes which we shared the cost on and all things considered, it came in at probably not that much more than the cost of a seat for the game. A good evening all round, bar the result, and well worth consideration in the future if any of you are thinking of seeing how the other half live for a one off although I’ll be quite happy back in with the hoi polloi come the Tigers game.
REFEREES, DON'T YOU JUST LOVE EM?
Seems the man in the middle is coming in for increased criticism from all sides at the moment, even prompting international coach Paddy O'Brien to suggest that coaches should be more accountable in their post match comments. I sit on the fence on this one, we all have off days, and should expect some flak if we do, but I do think the refs are becoming an all too easy target at times, especially from supporters when we lose.
Therefore I was quite amused to read the following about an unnamed ref this week.
“He is a rugby shylock who insists on his pound of flesh and enforces the game to the very last letter of the law. The effect is to reduce the game to a state of paralysis. There is nothing more irritating to players or spectators than his incessant blowing of the whistle. He gets involved in too many constantly occurring instances which are trivial and have no influence on the game which a better referee would simply close his eyes too. In a word he is punctilious!”
Now if Budge had said that about Steve Lander last week, no doubt he would have been in even hotter water, (and be accused of swallowing a dictionary) but what made me smile was that this was written over a hundred years ago in 1898 by Harry Vassall the great rugby thinker who developed forward play.
And they say things aint what they used to be?
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