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.
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.
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