By Chris Gleadell
April 20 2007

Well you could never say that life is dull when you follow the Saints. Over the next two weeks we play two games that could see us on one hand compete at the very pinnacle of European competition in May whilst the other might condemn us to a season, at least, away from the elite of English rugby. The narrow defeat at Wasps not only secured a bonus point it also showed that Saints are not about to roll over and take the dreaded ‘R’ word without a fight as we enter the most crucial part of the season. Down fourteen points at one stage the lads fought back to draw level and although a couple of penalties towards game end saw Wasps edge it I think the team can take a lot from the performance moving on.

Of course the defeat still meant that we could have been the ‘R’ word on Sunday afternoon if Worcester had beaten London Irish at the Madejski Stadium. Despite some tense moments, and with half of Northamptonshire tuned in biting ever decreasing fingernails, the Exiles pulled clear making it game on once more for the final round of the Guinness Premiership on April 28th when Worcester take on Saracens at Sixways while we entertain Irish at the Gardens..

Despite still being one point adrift at the foot of the table I think it might be slight advantage Saints at the moment. Our opponents on that last day, London Irish, are now marooned in sixth place in the GP table, they cannot finish any higher or lower than that position. Indeed after their win over Worcester the Exiles coach Brian Smith commented that, as a top six finish was their target for the season for them it was ‘mission accomplished’. That’s not to say Irish will be a walkover or take it easy, without a monkey on their back they might even play with free abandon and run us all over the shop, but given who Wuss are playing I think we have the better end of the deal.

Our fellow battlers have to take on a Saracens side that still has it all to play for.

Sarries currently sit third in the table and still have a shot at the very least of a home semi final in the play offs. Should they lose at Sixways they could miss out altogether and will be going hell for leather to get the result. A word of caution though, given what is at stake it could well be a day when all form goes out the window but I’ve a sneaking suspicion we might just pull this one off.

Before that, no doubt very tense, final GP game we have a little game up at Coventry this weekend as Saints take on Wasps once more in the semi final of this seasons Heineken Cup. Despite all the bleating early on in the tournament that Saints had had an easy ride in their pool games the team turned the form book on its head in the quarter finals by beating Biarritz out in San Sebastian .

Of course some of those same bleaters will tell you that we didn’t win that game, Biarritz lost it and no doubt this weekend we will be hearing that lightening never strikes twice and Wasps will be putting us to the sword to take their rightful place in the HC Final. A look at some of the Wasps websites this week tells you a similar story as their supporters discuss where to get Heineken Cup final tickets where to go before the game at Twickenham etc.

But you know I think that kind of suits us. Again we are the underdogs with little or no chance of making the final in a lot of people’s eyes yet in the Heineken Cup in recent seasons we seem to thrive in these situations. Apart from that game in San Sebastian , the game in Agen and a home tie against Toulouse at the Gardens when we were at a very low ebb saw us win the day despite people telling us we were just there to make up the numbers.

Again it’s a one off game and anything can happen on the day and with us beating Wasps already once this season and not being disgraced down at Adams Park last week who knows? Certainly, just like against Biarritz , the weight of expectation is not on us, in fact if anything it is a welcome relief from what is currently happening in the Guinness Premiership. At the end of the day it is just XV against XV and I for one would not bet against that underdog having its day again.

FAREWELL WALLY

A sad day for the club this week when club stalwart Steve Thompson had to announce his immediate retirement from the game due to a neck injury. Wally has come a long way in a few years from that big lad called Steve Walter who we saw alternate between blindside flanker and hooker in his early games for the club in the 98/99 season. Concentrating finally on hooking full time his game came to ascendancy just at the right time and he was soon fast tracked through into the England ranks where he made the No.2 shirt his own.

Despite him hanging up his boots at just 28 years of age he has done more than most and has winners medals in the Heineken Cup for Saints and the 2003 Rugby World Cup for England . Whilst that may be little consolation in the coming days as Steve looks forward to the rest of his life I think in future he can look back on a job well done for both club and country.

My best memory of Wally though wasn’t in the Gold, Black and Green or the white of England , it was in the red of the Lions and the second test against New Zealand .

The Lions may have lost but Steve had an outstanding game, he was all over the place, the highlight being him nicking the ball off Chris Jack at the tail of a lineout.

If he puts as much effort into whatever career path he chooses as he did into his rugby I am sure he will prosper with some success. Good luck Wally and thanks.

COBBLERS!

You had to smile when you read Keith Barwell’s interview with Donald McRae in the Guardian this week. As ever our esteemed Chairman threw in a few curveballs to get his message across and no doubt with a bit of a glint in his eye Keith mentioned how with rugby being a working class sport in the town that “The majority of our supporters work in shoe-factories in the week.”

So whilst you are all sitting there stitching those brogues and buffing up those loafers tomorrow you can be safe in the knowledge that come Sunday you’ll be cheering along with a few thousand of your fellow cobblers.

Now who was it that said the sole had gone out of the club?