On Sunday we head into the final stretch of the season against table toppers Bath. To say that Baths season has come as a bit of a surprise is somewhat of an understatement but after two years of struggling against relegation with just a month to go they still find themselves top of the pile.
So much as it pains me to say its hats off to Bath on a big turnaround in fortunes.
It seems that John Connolly has done wonders with a squad that at season start looked like the proverbial motley crew, a mixed bag of players who were unwanted at other clubs or some that were simply unheard of in the English game. It has certainly been their pack that has led the way with the likes Gloucester outcast Rob Fidler but more crucially No.8 Isaac Feaunati who having been just a bit part player for other Zurich teams has really come to the fore for Bath and is having an outstanding season. It is not just rejuvenated old heads that has seen them return as a force in the game, youngsters Matt Stevens and Olly Barkley have really come into their own too and gained international honours for their efforts. So a real test of character for the lads on Sunday but one that I am hoping and praying we will win in style more than most.
Now of course having had a such good time after a few years in the doldrums you would think that that everyone from that part of the West Country would be taking their new found fortune in good grace and be magnanimous in victory but sadly not. As I reported two weeks ago the tirade from a certain element goes on. Not content with insinuating that several clubs, including Saints, were breaking the wage cap and making a mountain out of a molehill about ticketing arrangements some of their less than enlightened fans have this week tried to inflame the situation by calling us ‘big game chokers’ and accusing the team of running up white flags against Wasps.
Now from where I am sitting Bath have not won a bean yet this season so their supporters have no grounds for this arrogant stance but I would sure like to see our lads kick their proverbial backside this weekend at least hard enough for their fans to stop talking out of it for a while.
THE RUMOUR MILL
Well the old rumour mill just keeps grinding on and on. I don’t know if it’s a knock on effect from soccer with its daily on/off deals but those with over imaginative minds really seem to have got their teeth into rugby lately. Not content with trying to trade Daws with just about every club within twenty miles of London, which it seems had not a single grain of truth in it as he still has a year of his current contract to run, it now seems just about every player on the market, (and some that are not) are moving in the Gardens. It seems we are going to have rather a crowded midfield next year because according the ‘in the know’ and ‘done deal’ merchants Steve Kefu, Graham Bond, Mike Catt and Tana Umaga are all joining us next season. Others still touted to be on their way are John Rudd, Corne Krige and Selbourne Boome. I guess we will just have to wait and see which one is spotted first in the Weedon Road but if we see more than two or three of the above I will be surprised.
One player definitely on his way to the Gardens is Springbok A wing Wylie Human who has already been dubbed ‘Coyote’ by some supporters. Time to dig out that ‘Acme’ catalogue no doubt!
It was also good to hear that Paul Grayson is staying with the club, rather than moving to Newcastle to put that young upstart Wilkinsons game right, and even better to hear one of his reasons for staying were that his lads had strong local accents that he did not want them to lose.
So for the junior Graysons it’s still aroite m’duck instead of howay the lads. What better reason is there for staying at the Saints but Paul perhaps you can persuade Andy Blowers to come round to your way of thinking in the next twelve months too?
FAREWELL
Two more players have announced they will be leaving the Gardens at seasons end. John Leslie hopes to move on to France to carry on a career in the game. I had a lot of time for John’s game and whilst never being the flashiest of players he certainly has the rugby brain in the middle of the park, his organisation, graft and tackle count are testament to that and from a fans point of view it was sad to see the Leslie, Bateman centre pairing broken up way too early. Personally I have always thought that John would have been the ideal ‘missing link’ to play with Gregor Townsend too, the man on his shoulder we never seemed to have.
The second player to go is Nick Beal. Nicks calling this his final year and will be hopping across the fence to watch the game instead of playing it. He has been a long time servant at the club and has come back from more than a few injuries, including the broken leg at Sarries and that clash of heads with ex-Saint Matt Allen at Cardiff that would have had others thinking of giving up entirely. I always though Nick never really got the rub of the green with England in the late 90’s but arguably saved his purple patch for the autumn of his career, his booming kicks will live long in the memory and who will ever forget that monster of a drop goal at Welford Road earlier this season. So now for Nick it’s a life in finance and a little more time on the golf course and going by Tiger Woods display last weekend in Augusta I guess word that Nick was hanging up his boots and aiming to cut that handicap had already reached his ears.
So good luck Nick and John in all your future endeavours.
It seems that John Connolly has done wonders with a squad that at season start looked like the proverbial motley crew, a mixed bag of players who were unwanted at other clubs or some that were simply unheard of in the English game. It has certainly been their pack that has led the way with the likes Gloucester outcast Rob Fidler but more crucially No.8 Isaac Feaunati who having been just a bit part player for other Zurich teams has really come to the fore for Bath and is having an outstanding season. It is not just rejuvenated old heads that has seen them return as a force in the game, youngsters Matt Stevens and Olly Barkley have really come into their own too and gained international honours for their efforts. So a real test of character for the lads on Sunday but one that I am hoping and praying we will win in style more than most.
Now of course having had a such good time after a few years in the doldrums you would think that that everyone from that part of the West Country would be taking their new found fortune in good grace and be magnanimous in victory but sadly not. As I reported two weeks ago the tirade from a certain element goes on. Not content with insinuating that several clubs, including Saints, were breaking the wage cap and making a mountain out of a molehill about ticketing arrangements some of their less than enlightened fans have this week tried to inflame the situation by calling us ‘big game chokers’ and accusing the team of running up white flags against Wasps.
Now from where I am sitting Bath have not won a bean yet this season so their supporters have no grounds for this arrogant stance but I would sure like to see our lads kick their proverbial backside this weekend at least hard enough for their fans to stop talking out of it for a while.
THE RUMOUR MILL
Well the old rumour mill just keeps grinding on and on. I don’t know if it’s a knock on effect from soccer with its daily on/off deals but those with over imaginative minds really seem to have got their teeth into rugby lately. Not content with trying to trade Daws with just about every club within twenty miles of London, which it seems had not a single grain of truth in it as he still has a year of his current contract to run, it now seems just about every player on the market, (and some that are not) are moving in the Gardens. It seems we are going to have rather a crowded midfield next year because according the ‘in the know’ and ‘done deal’ merchants Steve Kefu, Graham Bond, Mike Catt and Tana Umaga are all joining us next season. Others still touted to be on their way are John Rudd, Corne Krige and Selbourne Boome. I guess we will just have to wait and see which one is spotted first in the Weedon Road but if we see more than two or three of the above I will be surprised.
One player definitely on his way to the Gardens is Springbok A wing Wylie Human who has already been dubbed ‘Coyote’ by some supporters. Time to dig out that ‘Acme’ catalogue no doubt!
It was also good to hear that Paul Grayson is staying with the club, rather than moving to Newcastle to put that young upstart Wilkinsons game right, and even better to hear one of his reasons for staying were that his lads had strong local accents that he did not want them to lose.
So for the junior Graysons it’s still aroite m’duck instead of howay the lads. What better reason is there for staying at the Saints but Paul perhaps you can persuade Andy Blowers to come round to your way of thinking in the next twelve months too?
FAREWELL
Two more players have announced they will be leaving the Gardens at seasons end. John Leslie hopes to move on to France to carry on a career in the game. I had a lot of time for John’s game and whilst never being the flashiest of players he certainly has the rugby brain in the middle of the park, his organisation, graft and tackle count are testament to that and from a fans point of view it was sad to see the Leslie, Bateman centre pairing broken up way too early. Personally I have always thought that John would have been the ideal ‘missing link’ to play with Gregor Townsend too, the man on his shoulder we never seemed to have.
The second player to go is Nick Beal. Nicks calling this his final year and will be hopping across the fence to watch the game instead of playing it. He has been a long time servant at the club and has come back from more than a few injuries, including the broken leg at Sarries and that clash of heads with ex-Saint Matt Allen at Cardiff that would have had others thinking of giving up entirely. I always though Nick never really got the rub of the green with England in the late 90’s but arguably saved his purple patch for the autumn of his career, his booming kicks will live long in the memory and who will ever forget that monster of a drop goal at Welford Road earlier this season. So now for Nick it’s a life in finance and a little more time on the golf course and going by Tiger Woods display last weekend in Augusta I guess word that Nick was hanging up his boots and aiming to cut that handicap had already reached his ears.
So good luck Nick and John in all your future endeavours.
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