But as someone remarked this week, perhaps it shows a mark of our gradual improvement over the season that some people were a tad disappointed that the win was not in the bag even though we can now lose the ‘Lost’ prefix on Lost Causeway.
Given what we had been hearing all week from south Bucks, about how the Wasps team had been decimated by international calls, by the time the whistle blew the comparable difference in how each team had indeed been affected was slim. So all in all a very good result for the team and one they can build on for the visit of Sarries to the Gardens on Saturday.
We can only hope that the Fezheads from Watford play like their first half performance against Bath last Sunday rather than the second. Bath had the try bonus point secured on the half hour and at 31-3 up were cruising to a hefty win. Whatever they put in the halftime tea at Vicarage Road did the trick, well almost, as Sarries hit back and not only gained two bonus points (one for four tries, and one for being with seven points) but almost stole the game the final whistle saving Bath at 29-34. It was notable that two of Saracens scores were penalty tries and it looks as if in the second period they reverted to the type of game that secured them the points in the more than dull encounter against Saints earlier this season. It could well be maul, maul then maul some more if they get their hands on the ball.
Lets hope on Saturday we have an official who refs both aspects of that maul, both attack and defence, evenly, rather than what we saw at Vicarage Road where Saints were penalised for coming in at the sides yet the attackers were joining in at all kinds of angles. But then again who knows we might just see the totally legal tactic the Italians tried against England at the weekend with the defence not engaging and someone running round the back of the ‘maul’ and tackling the person with the ball. It might be worth a try but it would be a brave referee that lets you do it all afternoon, legal or not but then anything might be worth a try to stop the opposition strangling the life out the game.
Having said that though our pack is still improving week on week and with the addition of the likes of Paul Tupai have become a bit more streetwise than perhaps we were and at our best certainly a match for the Sarries eight. Behind the scrum, though Sarries have undoubted talent including the mercurial Thomas Castaignede, they have been a little blunt this season and I’m taking our backline, ably assisted by the forwards, to secure the game for us and move us nearer the top six.
THE SSC GOES WWW
There’s a new Saints presence on the World Wide Web this month with the Saints Supporters Club launching their own website. The site, which can be found at www.saintssupportersclub.com has details of various SSC activities including info on upcoming functions, a chance to buy SSC branded merchandise, travel details, the latest newsletter and even an online form to join the SSC if you are not a member yet. On the subject of travel the Supporters Club will be running coaches to London Irish, on Sunday 26th February, they will be leaving Franklin’s Gardens at 9:30am. The prices are: Adults: £12 Children/Students/OAPs: £7 To book places on the SSC coaches, please call their NEW number: 01604 751742, with your name, telephone number and the number of seats. Or you can book seats, by texting 07771918245 with your name, the number of seats & the match.
CLOCKING OFF
I see that yet again there was trouble with the official timekeeping on Sunday. After our game against Leeds, where everyone could clearly see the countdown clock ticking on after referee Tony Spreadbury had signaled time off, the same thing happened at the Causeway on Sunday. When the clocks were late in arriving at the start of the season we were told it was because technical glitches were being ironed out so it was somewhat surprising to find that the clocks are not directly controlled by the referees themselves but a separate timekeeper who turns the clock on and off on signal from the referee, exactly how ‘technical is that?.
Simple as it sounds though it is just not working. Whether it is misinterpretation between these two officials or plain human nature the referees watch and the countdown clock are clearly not in sync and this could potentially cause all kinds of problems and accusations of misuse once push comes to shove at season end when clubs Guinness Premiership future or Heineken Cup qualification are at stake. Is it just me or wouldn’t a far simply solution be, especially in these days of mobile technology, to have referee and countdown clock directly linked so that when he stops the clock stops. He only has to glance at the main clock to see all is well rather than rely on a third party, or is that too simple?
ALL RUGBIED OUT
Can you have too much of a good thing? There was some talk a while back about rugby not getting fair coverage on our TV screens, well Saturday was certainly the opposite. Rising early I watched Crusaders v Highlanders then Reds v Waratahs in the Super14. An hours break then it was the first half of France v Ireland before going to watch my local club, Milton Keynes play Gosford, prior to going to the pub to watch Italy v England. You might call me a glutton for punishment and by the end of the day I was truly all rugbied out. However I’ll look forward to doing exactly the same the week after next.
Given what we had been hearing all week from south Bucks, about how the Wasps team had been decimated by international calls, by the time the whistle blew the comparable difference in how each team had indeed been affected was slim. So all in all a very good result for the team and one they can build on for the visit of Sarries to the Gardens on Saturday.
We can only hope that the Fezheads from Watford play like their first half performance against Bath last Sunday rather than the second. Bath had the try bonus point secured on the half hour and at 31-3 up were cruising to a hefty win. Whatever they put in the halftime tea at Vicarage Road did the trick, well almost, as Sarries hit back and not only gained two bonus points (one for four tries, and one for being with seven points) but almost stole the game the final whistle saving Bath at 29-34. It was notable that two of Saracens scores were penalty tries and it looks as if in the second period they reverted to the type of game that secured them the points in the more than dull encounter against Saints earlier this season. It could well be maul, maul then maul some more if they get their hands on the ball.
Lets hope on Saturday we have an official who refs both aspects of that maul, both attack and defence, evenly, rather than what we saw at Vicarage Road where Saints were penalised for coming in at the sides yet the attackers were joining in at all kinds of angles. But then again who knows we might just see the totally legal tactic the Italians tried against England at the weekend with the defence not engaging and someone running round the back of the ‘maul’ and tackling the person with the ball. It might be worth a try but it would be a brave referee that lets you do it all afternoon, legal or not but then anything might be worth a try to stop the opposition strangling the life out the game.
Having said that though our pack is still improving week on week and with the addition of the likes of Paul Tupai have become a bit more streetwise than perhaps we were and at our best certainly a match for the Sarries eight. Behind the scrum, though Sarries have undoubted talent including the mercurial Thomas Castaignede, they have been a little blunt this season and I’m taking our backline, ably assisted by the forwards, to secure the game for us and move us nearer the top six.
THE SSC GOES WWW
There’s a new Saints presence on the World Wide Web this month with the Saints Supporters Club launching their own website. The site, which can be found at www.saintssupportersclub.com has details of various SSC activities including info on upcoming functions, a chance to buy SSC branded merchandise, travel details, the latest newsletter and even an online form to join the SSC if you are not a member yet. On the subject of travel the Supporters Club will be running coaches to London Irish, on Sunday 26th February, they will be leaving Franklin’s Gardens at 9:30am. The prices are: Adults: £12 Children/Students/OAPs: £7 To book places on the SSC coaches, please call their NEW number: 01604 751742, with your name, telephone number and the number of seats. Or you can book seats, by texting 07771918245 with your name, the number of seats & the match.
CLOCKING OFF
I see that yet again there was trouble with the official timekeeping on Sunday. After our game against Leeds, where everyone could clearly see the countdown clock ticking on after referee Tony Spreadbury had signaled time off, the same thing happened at the Causeway on Sunday. When the clocks were late in arriving at the start of the season we were told it was because technical glitches were being ironed out so it was somewhat surprising to find that the clocks are not directly controlled by the referees themselves but a separate timekeeper who turns the clock on and off on signal from the referee, exactly how ‘technical is that?.
Simple as it sounds though it is just not working. Whether it is misinterpretation between these two officials or plain human nature the referees watch and the countdown clock are clearly not in sync and this could potentially cause all kinds of problems and accusations of misuse once push comes to shove at season end when clubs Guinness Premiership future or Heineken Cup qualification are at stake. Is it just me or wouldn’t a far simply solution be, especially in these days of mobile technology, to have referee and countdown clock directly linked so that when he stops the clock stops. He only has to glance at the main clock to see all is well rather than rely on a third party, or is that too simple?
ALL RUGBIED OUT
Can you have too much of a good thing? There was some talk a while back about rugby not getting fair coverage on our TV screens, well Saturday was certainly the opposite. Rising early I watched Crusaders v Highlanders then Reds v Waratahs in the Super14. An hours break then it was the first half of France v Ireland before going to watch my local club, Milton Keynes play Gosford, prior to going to the pub to watch Italy v England. You might call me a glutton for punishment and by the end of the day I was truly all rugbied out. However I’ll look forward to doing exactly the same the week after next.
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