Marching On
Northampton Saints - Thoughts from the Chron
After a blistering start and three quick tries the lads took their foot off the gas for the middle section of the game but finally upped it a notch or two in the last quarter and put Bristol to the sword with a further four scores to retake the lead at the top of the group with a home quarter final game in the European Challenge Cup a real possibility. Firstly though the lads must overcome Viadana.
FORZA SAINTALIA
So on Friday night it’s the Italian Job Part Two for the Saints as they travel out to Italia to take on Super10 side Viadana. Whilst they lie at the bottom of our group they will still be going all out to pull off a famous victory. It may not be easy as it looks on paper especially given our long injury list and lack of players registered for the competition.
The Viadana website this week has mocked up pictures of Carlos confronting the Viadana Lion.
The poster states ‘No Saint can protect you from these Lions’
But it could be the weather that plays a more crucial role in Viadana. At the time of writing, according to the BBC online weather service, this morning it is snowing in nearby Parma and there are projected temperatures as low as minus ten. However after dealing with adverse conditions in Narbonne in a well earned victory in the competition before Christmas I’m taking the lads to buckle down and complete a job well done, cementing that quarter spot at the Gardens possibly against our old friends Worcester for the fourth time this season in early April.
Again the Saints will be well supported on their travels with a few hundred intrepid souls making the journey out to Italy. The club are taking a full contingent on the official trip while the bulk of support will again be the do-it-yourselfers who are heading to Viadana by the usual half dozen routes, flying into various airports in northern Italy, staying in three or four different locations and making it by hook or by crook to the game on Friday night.
Given the location and very limited access there is to Viadana itself (it is not served at all by public transport) a special mention has to go to the Saints Supporters Club for organising three coaches from Parma to the game on Friday night. I only wish I could join them but this one’s a game too far for me. On past trips I know those travelling will have a great time and will come back with stories galore. Given the conditions if you are going remember to pack your thermals and your best brandy in your hip flask and if any brass monkeys are thinking of travelling, don’t!
MUSIC TO OUR EARS
I’ve changed my mind about the music played before the game.
I was never against the tune itself, Vangelis’s Conquest of Paradise but like many did not like the timing of it as it drowned out the traditional greeting of the team onto the pitch with ‘Oh When the Saints’
On Saturday I think the timing was just about right, it ended as the team were about to emerge from the tunnel allowing ‘Oh Wendy’ to start in earnest and I think just about everybody was happy.
I do think it’s a tad ambitious though expecting the crowd to sing along to Conquest and I know a lot of people thought the lyrics were a bit over the top but starting in C Block the crowd have picked up instead on humming the tune along with synchronised (and some not so synchronised) swaying and continued the theme in the second half of their own accord. Now I know this is mostly tongue in cheek but it seems to have catched on and if indeed the tune does have an affect on the players (I’m sure a sports psychologist could explain how) then what better way than a spontaneous rendering from your own support every now and then?
Now if only we could get everyone singing the ‘Au Revoir’ song that a few hundred Saints were singing in France to each red and yellow card as well.
Saints with Heart IV
After a final totalling up of the cash Saints with Heart IV, the supporters sponsored walk, quiz night etc in aid of the British Heart Foundation, raised £22,000 in 2005. On Saturday at halftime Maggie Barwell, the SWH patron presented a cheque for that amount to the BHF making it over £55,000 raised for the charity since Richard Lindsley came up with the idea after three Saints supporters, now dubbed the Cardiac Club, suffered heart attacks four years ago.
Bob Stainsby, one of those trio is now the major driving force behind Saints with Heart. Plans are already afoot for SWH5, as ever, watch this space.
The RFU.........
And a final word on last weeks section of the column that reported an RFU official stating it was the clubs ‘killing the players’. This was picked up by a friend who supports Leicester, this is what he had to say on the matter.
“Consider an isolated and extreme example:
A club develops a young prop, that prop is selected for England U21s, whilst at England training, that prop suffers a life threatening and career stopping injury.
The club promises to support the player and his family for the rest of his life.
Fellow players donate signed stuff to be raffled.
Fans from many other clubs raise funds for the prop.
England RFU suggest that they donate half of the money that they are (alledgedly, potentially illegally) withholding from 3 clubs, its not even the RFU's money! as a way of getting out of a court case.
Great aren't they.”
FORZA SAINTALIA
So on Friday night it’s the Italian Job Part Two for the Saints as they travel out to Italia to take on Super10 side Viadana. Whilst they lie at the bottom of our group they will still be going all out to pull off a famous victory. It may not be easy as it looks on paper especially given our long injury list and lack of players registered for the competition.
The Viadana website this week has mocked up pictures of Carlos confronting the Viadana Lion.
The poster states ‘No Saint can protect you from these Lions’
But it could be the weather that plays a more crucial role in Viadana. At the time of writing, according to the BBC online weather service, this morning it is snowing in nearby Parma and there are projected temperatures as low as minus ten. However after dealing with adverse conditions in Narbonne in a well earned victory in the competition before Christmas I’m taking the lads to buckle down and complete a job well done, cementing that quarter spot at the Gardens possibly against our old friends Worcester for the fourth time this season in early April.
Again the Saints will be well supported on their travels with a few hundred intrepid souls making the journey out to Italy. The club are taking a full contingent on the official trip while the bulk of support will again be the do-it-yourselfers who are heading to Viadana by the usual half dozen routes, flying into various airports in northern Italy, staying in three or four different locations and making it by hook or by crook to the game on Friday night.
Given the location and very limited access there is to Viadana itself (it is not served at all by public transport) a special mention has to go to the Saints Supporters Club for organising three coaches from Parma to the game on Friday night. I only wish I could join them but this one’s a game too far for me. On past trips I know those travelling will have a great time and will come back with stories galore. Given the conditions if you are going remember to pack your thermals and your best brandy in your hip flask and if any brass monkeys are thinking of travelling, don’t!
MUSIC TO OUR EARS
I’ve changed my mind about the music played before the game.
I was never against the tune itself, Vangelis’s Conquest of Paradise but like many did not like the timing of it as it drowned out the traditional greeting of the team onto the pitch with ‘Oh When the Saints’
On Saturday I think the timing was just about right, it ended as the team were about to emerge from the tunnel allowing ‘Oh Wendy’ to start in earnest and I think just about everybody was happy.
I do think it’s a tad ambitious though expecting the crowd to sing along to Conquest and I know a lot of people thought the lyrics were a bit over the top but starting in C Block the crowd have picked up instead on humming the tune along with synchronised (and some not so synchronised) swaying and continued the theme in the second half of their own accord. Now I know this is mostly tongue in cheek but it seems to have catched on and if indeed the tune does have an affect on the players (I’m sure a sports psychologist could explain how) then what better way than a spontaneous rendering from your own support every now and then?
Now if only we could get everyone singing the ‘Au Revoir’ song that a few hundred Saints were singing in France to each red and yellow card as well.
Saints with Heart IV
After a final totalling up of the cash Saints with Heart IV, the supporters sponsored walk, quiz night etc in aid of the British Heart Foundation, raised £22,000 in 2005. On Saturday at halftime Maggie Barwell, the SWH patron presented a cheque for that amount to the BHF making it over £55,000 raised for the charity since Richard Lindsley came up with the idea after three Saints supporters, now dubbed the Cardiac Club, suffered heart attacks four years ago.
Bob Stainsby, one of those trio is now the major driving force behind Saints with Heart. Plans are already afoot for SWH5, as ever, watch this space.
The RFU.........
And a final word on last weeks section of the column that reported an RFU official stating it was the clubs ‘killing the players’. This was picked up by a friend who supports Leicester, this is what he had to say on the matter.
“Consider an isolated and extreme example:
A club develops a young prop, that prop is selected for England U21s, whilst at England training, that prop suffers a life threatening and career stopping injury.
The club promises to support the player and his family for the rest of his life.
Fellow players donate signed stuff to be raffled.
Fans from many other clubs raise funds for the prop.
England RFU suggest that they donate half of the money that they are (alledgedly, potentially illegally) withholding from 3 clubs, its not even the RFU's money! as a way of getting out of a court case.
Great aren't they.”
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