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.
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.
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