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!
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!
