Northampton Saints
Chris Gleadell's Thoughts from the Chron 19th Feb
By Chris Gleadell
February 20 2009
So it is back to winning ways for the Saints with the 20-15 win over Saracens at the Gardens last Saturday. We looked a bit off the pace at times in the first period yet the Saints defence held the visiting Fezheads at bay and a Bruce Reihana try in the corner almost on the stroke of halftime kept us in touch going into the break. In the second period, as we have seen oft times before this season,
playing towards the South Stand the lads picked it up a gear or two and dominated play for long periods and the boot of Stephen Myler saw us clear in the end. I am not quite sure if there is ‘South Stand effect' but we certainly seem a different side playing towards it. Some will claim it is nothing more than the effects of the slope but I am sure there must be an argument for the psychological lift the players get playing into the bottom of the ‘horseshoe' of home support. I'd be interested to hear what the players actually think.
Yes it may not have been pretty but the win was ground out and the squad, going into the game with a point to prove after the Quins game, did just that and showed that they can bounce back from that collective dip in form and the game at the Stoop can now be consigned to history.
And it was not just the team that performed the heroics last week. After a week of arctic weather, and amounts of snow we are just not used to seeing anymore in the region, the game must have been in real doubt of taking place at one stage. It seems however that nothing deters Piggy Powell and his team for getting the Gardens pitch as near to pristine condition as they could given the conditions. With the use of a giant tent and more hot air than you will see at an RFU board meeting the pitch was gradually thawed out and was fit and ready for the off on Saturday, a true testament to Piggy's dedication to his beloved turf and the club.
According Eddie Jones, the Sarries coach, we supporters played a large part in the victory too. Jones commented "I want to congratulate the crowd, I think they were fantastic. They are 13,000 of the best referees in the competition." in suggesting that maybe it was we that swayed referee Greg Garner in a decision or two that swung the game. Of course we always like to think we played our part. On this occasion however even though Jones hinted that he thought his side were the better team, in the cold light of day they probably were not, as television replays showed that the main bone of contention, Alex Goode's disallowed try, was in fact fairly hauled back.
In fact if anything I thought we were fairly muted on Saturday until things picked up in the second half but thanks for the compliment all the same Eddie, anytime you need some advice on the finer aspects of the laws just give us a shout.
WASPS
The victory over Sarries puts us just seven points away from that coveted sixth place in the Guinness Premiership and a possible Heineken Cup spot for next season, a point more would take us to fifth with guaranteed participation.
Of course there will be plenty of more twists and turns yet, and fixture congestion may still yet play a part, but any team apart from basement club Bristol, could string a few results together and come into the Heineken reckoning. We may have two other routes via the European Challenge and EDF cups open to us to qualify for the top competition next season but it is also best to have all your bases covered and with the bunching up in the bottom two thirds of the GP table it could well go down to the wire once more.
The team to watch more than any other in that bunched group are Sunday's opponents Wasps. As always as we approach the business end of the season they appear to be putting a bit of form together to perform their dark horse dash for the line again. A top four place and a championship semi final spot might just be out of their reach this time round -though do not bet against it - but certainly with two games in hand and just three points behind us they could be a major obstacle should we wish to progress via the GP.
However it seems all is not well at Wycombe at the moment. There has been disquiet for some time from some supporters on the amount of time both Ian McGeechan (for the Lions) and Shaun Edwards (for Wales) are spending away from the club. This week that disquiet was compounded by the defection of three of their England squad players to French clubs at the end of the current season while there are still doubts that other major stars are looking to play their trade elsewhere.
Could we be seeing the Wasps bubble, so successful in recent years, start to slowly burst? Somehow I doubt it, we might be seeing a time of regrouping and rebuilding but Wasps always seem to have the ability, by hook or by crook, to bounce back long term. In the short term though, especially as they will be looking to recruit top players as replacements, the very key to that might be that elusive Heineken Cup slot. I am sure they will be pulling out all the stops to attain it.
Perhaps it is in some ways the same dilemma we faced against Saracens last week. Will we be up against a dispirited side ground down by internal strife in the week before the game or a team chomping at the bit with their eyes on the bigger prize? Just like with Sarries we will not know the answer till kick off on Sunday afternoon but I know because it is the all conquering Wasps most supporters travel south at the weekend in hope rather than expectation.
And that might just be in our favour in some respects. For once with that monkey of expectation off the players backs they might play their own game and put any thoughts of this supposed awayday hoodoo out of their minds.
I know it is a tall order but I have a sneaking suspicion that we might just get something out of this game. Followers of form will tell you we have nothing to lose, that might just be the spark wee need.
Yes it may not have been pretty but the win was ground out and the squad, going into the game with a point to prove after the Quins game, did just that and showed that they can bounce back from that collective dip in form and the game at the Stoop can now be consigned to history.
And it was not just the team that performed the heroics last week. After a week of arctic weather, and amounts of snow we are just not used to seeing anymore in the region, the game must have been in real doubt of taking place at one stage. It seems however that nothing deters Piggy Powell and his team for getting the Gardens pitch as near to pristine condition as they could given the conditions. With the use of a giant tent and more hot air than you will see at an RFU board meeting the pitch was gradually thawed out and was fit and ready for the off on Saturday, a true testament to Piggy's dedication to his beloved turf and the club.
According Eddie Jones, the Sarries coach, we supporters played a large part in the victory too. Jones commented "I want to congratulate the crowd, I think they were fantastic. They are 13,000 of the best referees in the competition." in suggesting that maybe it was we that swayed referee Greg Garner in a decision or two that swung the game. Of course we always like to think we played our part. On this occasion however even though Jones hinted that he thought his side were the better team, in the cold light of day they probably were not, as television replays showed that the main bone of contention, Alex Goode's disallowed try, was in fact fairly hauled back.
In fact if anything I thought we were fairly muted on Saturday until things picked up in the second half but thanks for the compliment all the same Eddie, anytime you need some advice on the finer aspects of the laws just give us a shout.
WASPS
The victory over Sarries puts us just seven points away from that coveted sixth place in the Guinness Premiership and a possible Heineken Cup spot for next season, a point more would take us to fifth with guaranteed participation.
Of course there will be plenty of more twists and turns yet, and fixture congestion may still yet play a part, but any team apart from basement club Bristol, could string a few results together and come into the Heineken reckoning. We may have two other routes via the European Challenge and EDF cups open to us to qualify for the top competition next season but it is also best to have all your bases covered and with the bunching up in the bottom two thirds of the GP table it could well go down to the wire once more.
The team to watch more than any other in that bunched group are Sunday's opponents Wasps. As always as we approach the business end of the season they appear to be putting a bit of form together to perform their dark horse dash for the line again. A top four place and a championship semi final spot might just be out of their reach this time round -though do not bet against it - but certainly with two games in hand and just three points behind us they could be a major obstacle should we wish to progress via the GP.
However it seems all is not well at Wycombe at the moment. There has been disquiet for some time from some supporters on the amount of time both Ian McGeechan (for the Lions) and Shaun Edwards (for Wales) are spending away from the club. This week that disquiet was compounded by the defection of three of their England squad players to French clubs at the end of the current season while there are still doubts that other major stars are looking to play their trade elsewhere.
Could we be seeing the Wasps bubble, so successful in recent years, start to slowly burst? Somehow I doubt it, we might be seeing a time of regrouping and rebuilding but Wasps always seem to have the ability, by hook or by crook, to bounce back long term. In the short term though, especially as they will be looking to recruit top players as replacements, the very key to that might be that elusive Heineken Cup slot. I am sure they will be pulling out all the stops to attain it.
Perhaps it is in some ways the same dilemma we faced against Saracens last week. Will we be up against a dispirited side ground down by internal strife in the week before the game or a team chomping at the bit with their eyes on the bigger prize? Just like with Sarries we will not know the answer till kick off on Sunday afternoon but I know because it is the all conquering Wasps most supporters travel south at the weekend in hope rather than expectation.
And that might just be in our favour in some respects. For once with that monkey of expectation off the players backs they might play their own game and put any thoughts of this supposed awayday hoodoo out of their minds.
I know it is a tall order but I have a sneaking suspicion that we might just get something out of this game. Followers of form will tell you we have nothing to lose, that might just be the spark wee need.
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Discussion started by ComeOnYouSaints.com , 20/02/2009 00:37
ComeOnYouSaints.com
20/02/2009 00:37
20/02/2009 00:37
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Nicely put Mr G, maybe just maybe this will be the time we win at Adams Park?
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
We're all round yours for lunch then walking to the game then eh skipper? Tell Helen she'll need to borrow some chairs from the neighbours if you're going to seat 400.
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