By Big Rich
January 15 2007

Well that was an interesting day, wasn’t it? For me, it began in the Lake District, when, after an evening spent with family, there was a distinct feeling that Saturday night had involved at least one too many bottles of red wine! Still, at least it wasn’t raining.

Border Reivers v Northampton Saints

Heineken Cup 5^th Pool Match

Murrayfield Stadium

14^th January 2007

Well that was an interesting day, wasn’t it? For me, it began in the Lake District, when, after an evening spent with family, there was a distinct feeling that Saturday night had involved at least one too many bottles of red wine! Still, at least it wasn’t raining.

 

All week there had been rumblings of a waterlogged Netherdale, but the rumblings included mention of perhaps three alternative venues, and the torrential monsoon we had struggled through on the M6 on our way to the overnight festivities did not put minds at rest.

 

And so, as we left Cumbria there was considerable communication with those at home with internet access. We were perhaps 30 miles from Galashiels (just after having spotted the haggis – up on the right hand side – very shy at this time of year though) when the call came through, and SatNav systems were hastily reprogrammed for SRU headquarters. Big stadia always seem a little impersonal, and I for one was looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with the cosy little Netherdale. Big stadia with few people in them are lifeless and echo like the deepest canyon, and so it seemed this afternoon at Murrayfield. No official attendance was given, but I would guess that about 1,000 people had turned out in support of each team. With the running track between us and the pitch, the teams were a long way away – and that’s my excuse if I get some names or details wrong!

 

Despite the rain that these Northern parts have experienced recently, the pitch itself was in fine condition, and looked firm and dry. The wind was howling, and the temperatures were truly bitter. So at 5 o’clock, three hours and fifty miles from the scheduled starting point, the Saints’ mission for five priceless points began.

 

Both sides started in a very positive manner, and the visitors found themselves paying an early visit to the opposition 22, only for possession to be squandered with a loose pass, which gave the Borders their first scrum. At the first fixture between these two sides, Northampton’s dominance in the set piece was quite significant, and that was without Pat Barnard in the front row. With his return, the home side were always likely to struggle in this area of the game, and this first scrum set the standard. A ferocious drive saw Borders turn over possession, and as Saints drove up the middle of the pitch, they found themselves on the wrong side of the referee, who took a dislike to some vigorous rucking.

 

This launched the Home side’s first attack, and they enjoyed both possession and territory. The referee had cause to speak to opposing props, and he awarded a penalty against Barnard for some infringement of the dark arts. Saints were caught napping at the lineout, and for those not there, all I need to say is ‘Gypsy Try’, and you will know what happened next. It was Ross Ford who was the beneficiary of the short lineout throw and return, and after nine minutes, Saints found themselves 5-0 down.

 

Perhaps this was the spur they needed, for less than two minutes had passed before Robbie Kydd made a powerful break through midfield, shipped the ball out to Carlos, who in turn put Paul Tupai in for the try. Despite the gale, Spencer made no mistake with the conversion, nor with the penalty shot a few minutes later, which took the score to 5-10 after 15 minutes.

Both sides had shown an adventurous spirit and desire to run the ball at every opportunity, but the Saints seemed to be lacking the clinical precision to truly finish off the Borders. As the match wore on, I found myself repeatedly writing that a promising move had broken down because of a forward pass, a dropped ball, an isolated break, or a careless pass behind the receiver. I suppose that this is indicative of the season we are suffering, but nonetheless it was very refreshing to see the Saints backs with so much ball in hand, and if we can continue to play like that, the mistakes will be ironed out.

 

But back to the game. We saw that most unusual of offences as Mark Robinson was penalised for feeding the scrum. However, the Borders could only manage to go backwards at every phase, and what should have been a relieving clearance kick was charged down into the waiting hands of Tupai, who nearly made it to the line. As he was stopped, it was Spencer’s turn to feel the pressure of an onrushing defence, and his pass behind his back was far from precise. Faster than you could see it happen the Saints had gone from 2 metres out, to the halfway line. More Borders’ pressure saw a slow loose pass from Robinson intercepted by Simon Danielli, and there was no stopping him from 50 metres out. With the conversion added, suddenly the Saints had fallen 12-10 behind.

 

A Borders’ attacking maul then seemed to erupt in a bout of fisticuffs, or given where we were, perhaps I better call it ‘argie-bargie’! After it had died down, it was countrymen Stuart Grimes and Tom Smith who saw yellow on 28 minutes. With two influential figures missing, the losses were smoothed out.

 

Neither lineout had been functioning terribly well – perhaps to be expected in view of the wind, but on 36 minutes, and perhaps without the disruptive influence of Grimes, a perfect Saints move came together. A beautiful lineout take saw quick ball off the top to Robinson. His pass to Spencer was on a dime, and the Home defence didn’t know which way to turn as the Mercurial © dancing feet broke through with sublime ease. When he was stopped, the offload to Paul Diggin was measured to be taken at full pace. Digger still had work to do, and could have drawn his man allowing the wing to go over unopposed. But like the good finisher we know him to be, he had white line fever, and he beat the last two defenders easily and kept his try-scoring tally in the Heiny ticking along nicely. Carlos added the extras, and as the miserable sinners returned from the bin, the half ended with the score at 12-17, with two tries apiece. Halfway there, then!

 

The second half began brightly enough. Sean Lamont decided that on his international home ground, he should be making more of an impression, and so gathering the ball, he carried tacklers with him down the right wing. The ball was recycled to Ben Cohen at Outside Centre, and what followed was evidence of his very best form. He was in midfield, forty metres out, and nothing was on. So he ran. He ran very fast and very straight, and the Borders defence only worked out what was going on far too late to stop him. As Air Ben crossed the line, there were four blue-shirted defenders clinging to him, and it seemed there could have been 15 for all the effect they had. With the extras added it seemed the game was firmly in the Saints’ grasp at 12-24 with just two minutes of the half gone.

But Borders were not for lying down, and took the ball through many phases of possession, before finally getting isolated and being pinged for holding on. After comments recently from the Mercurial One about the standard of the Saints’ play, it seemed he had taken it upon himself to resurrect the team. For although not everything came off, Carlos was trying his tricks again, and for this observer, he was playing with a smile on his face again. He tapped the penalty, and in a Dawson-esque way, ran into the nearest defender! The obligatory ten metres was awarded, and the kick put the Saints back in the attacking half.

 

The backs had obviously had a word with the forwards since the last Saints game I saw, and a reminder had gone out about the game being played with 15 rather than 10 men. The hands were working well, and Lamont, Diggin and Cohen combined well to make ground, before being shepherded to touch on the 22.

 

It was wonderful to see the team playing with a bit of a spark again, and we had a spoonful of luck when Carlos tried a chip over the defence, only to see it charged down. The lucky bit was that it landed in Robbie Kydd’s hands. His run breached the gain line, and it was a simple pass that put Cohen in for his second, this time, almost unopposed, under the posts. Simple then. Mission accomplished. Four tries, five points, job’s a good ‘un.

 

No, actually. For despite the 12-29 scoreline, Borders were not beaten, and they refused to lie down. During the last twenty minutes, too many Saintly mistakes cost two or perhaps three tries. Cohen’s hat-trick was prevented by a very narrow offside call, as he strayed in front of the kicker as the ball was punted up field.

 

Then a scrappy lost lineout saw the sniping Rob Chrystie at scrum half break through the Saints’ defences, and only fevered last-ditch tackling prevented a score. Another Borders’ attacked was quenched by a big tackle in mid-field (no, I didn’t see by whom), and Tupai, Cohen, and the newly-arrived Ben Lewitt (for Fox) combined well to create another try-scoring opportunity, ruined only by a slight forward pass on the 22, with the line at their mercy.

 

Diggin was having a fine game at full back, and saved a try with a ground-shaking tackle. He was unfortunate to be penalised for playing the ball after that tackle, for it certainly appeared as though he had got back to his feet. And while we are being nice about our little pocket battleship, I have to mention his solidity under the high ball. It cannot have been easy in that wind, but he caught everything that came his way, under pressure and when in the clear. I thought he had a superb game.

 

It was Digger who launched the next attack, having taken yet another high ball, before running around the onrushing attackers, and setting the team free on the left wing. However, it is not often that you see Tupai rocked backwards in contact, but it happened at Murrayfield today, and Borders grasped the chance with both hands. Turnover ball is always the most dangerous, and so it proved. In seconds, the ball had gone from their right to left wings, Saints’ defence was nowhere, and Calum MacRae cantered in for the home side’s third try. He also added the conversion, and Saints were facing a nervous last few minutes as the score sat at 19-29.

 

The usual plethora of replacements broke the game down, and from having absolute dominance at the scrum, the Saints could not even win their own ball. The referee found himself talking to the packs and captains again, as the match became fractious. Once again, the Borders found themselves with a lineout just five metres out, and it was only a forward pass that stopped them scoring a second ‘Gypsy try’.

 

As the game entered its dying minutes, so Carlos opened his bag of tricks again. Finding himself with nowhere to go forwards, he tried the crossfield kick, but backwards. This surprised not only Borders, but also Kydd, at whom the kick was aimed, and unfortunately he dropped it. A final counter attack was finished with yet another knock on, and the man in the middle decided he was quite cold enough, and blew for no-side.

 

So, indeed, it was mission accomplished, and as we reach the last round of the pool matches, we have almost done enough to advance to the knock out rounds of the Heiny. This was not a perfect performance, and with all due respect to a feisty Borders team, a premiership team would have punished our mistakes far more heavily.

 

What was good to see was that the team was playing with a good deal of flair and belief, as if they have decided to use all the undoubted individual skills at their disposal, rather than try to grind out wins in a rather dour fashion, as if trying not to lose, rather than trying to win. Long may it continue. Bring on the Beer ‘n’ Chips!

 

Richard Slater

14 January 2007

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