Northampton Saints
News: Thoughts from the Chron 25th March 2010
By Chris Gleadell
March 26 2010
At last! It may have taken a hundred odd years but finally Saints have got their name on a major domestic trophy. Always ones to buck convention we went out and won the two European competitions first but more often than when push came to shove we fell at the last hurdle or two when anything more "homely" was in the offing.
Thoughts from the Chron
25th March 2010
I expect it was why we were tagged the perennial underachievers by so many in the media, surely a description that can be assigned to history now.
Yes the Anglo-Welsh LV= Cup might be much maligned due to its format, and yes I'll hold up my hands in being guilty to that, but Saints went out with the intention of winning it and now the trophy, and of course that Heineken Cup place, both sit proudly on our mantelpiece. Indeed try telling the two sides playing on Sunday that it was purely a development competition. That may be the future of the Anglo-Welsh given that it is intended to play it over international periods from now on in but Saints and Gloucester played out the final like their very lives depended on it.
And what a final it was, you could not really have asked for anything more from the two sides.
It was a committed but open game with play from end to end and no let up in the action from first to last and even at the death Gloucester were still in the hunt to steal it with a late score.
The Cherry and Whites certainly looked to have the bit between their teeth from the off and dominated early proceedings but Saints stood the ground and it was only the boots of Steve Myler and Nicky with a series of tit for tat penalties that kept the scoreboard ticking over. With half an hour on the clock the deadlock was finally broken by Glos backrower Akapusi Qera and with clear daylight now between the sides Saints had it all to do. Given the nature of the game you could never accuse the Saints of sleeping but the Qera try was somewhat of a wake up call and in the next sublime five minutes the lads played as good rugby as they have all season.
First a quick fire trio of breaks from Shane Geraghty, Steve Myler and Brett Sharman saw Soane Tonga'uiha dive inside for the first Saints score. With their tails up two minutes later they were back, this time with a Gloucester fumble being niftly handled by Courtney Lawes, Bruce Reihana and Juandre Kruger in quick succession well into Gloucester territory.
Brian Mujati, quickly becoming a crowd favourite, took it on once more before finally the ball was released to the five man overlap that the Saints faithful had been screaming about for what seemed like half an hour. Just to toy with our collective angst a few moments longer James Downey opted to take on the defence too but should we ever have doubted him as he stepped inside two tackles to claim the second try. From being two scores down a matter of minutes earlier Saints went in with a two score cushion in return as the first period came to a close.
The game was far from over yet though and after a period of more end to end action Saints looked to be in real trouble when they conceded a penalty try after being trundled back by the Gloucester pack. With Glos now back in the lead things looked ominous but again the lads hit back even opting for a scrum themselves moments later near to the opposition line. This time they held it tight, just, allowing Soane to flip it inside to Lee Dickson who went over for what was the deciding score.
After being scorer then provider it was just left to that man Tonga'uiha to cap his man of the match performance with the games champagne moment too. It started with a deft interception and ended with an 80 metre dash for the line. He may not have scored but the mighty Tongan thundering downfield will live long in the memory. He may be nicknamed ‘Tiny' but he will leave a massive hole when he heads for sunny Watford at season end.
As if to not upstage Tiny just a penalty each for Myler and Robinson saw proceedings to a close but not without a few bitten fingernails as Gloucester came back in the dying moments. The day however was Saints and all in all the marginally better side on the day edged it.
So Northampton Saints, Anglo-Welsh Cup winners 2010, lets hope it's just the start.
SUPPORT
And it was not just the team in fine fettle on Sunday I think all the supporters who made the trip did themselves proud too. I know there were rightly justified concerns about the choice of venue but it was an inspired idea to split the main stand at Worcester 50/50 between the two clubs and a stand each of the remaining three sides.
There may have been segregation in the stands but around the ground itself before and after the fans mingled freely in the March sunshine in almost a carnival atmosphere. Once the game started it was not so much party but partisan all the way and when all is said and done I think the Saints rabid (and I say that in the nicest possible way) support won the day. On Sunday's performance if only they sat us all together in Munster, we might even give Thomond Park something to think about.
WASPS
After all the euphoria of last week it is back to the bread and butter of the Guinness Premiership and the visit of Wasps to the Gardens on Saturday. The game is no less important though as Saints try to cement a home play off place for the Championship.
With a game in hand and nine points to the good over the High Wycombe with only a handful of games left victory could in theory see off one of the chasing pack.
Wasps though are Wasps, one of the success stories of the pro era and as ever it seems hover around the playoff places waiting to pounce. They do seem to be a club in transition though and as last weekends loss at Sale shows can slip up where perhaps Wasp teams of years gone by would have not. I am taking us to carry on the good work and continue to pressure Tigers at the top and preserve, or indeed increase, the daylight between Saints and those below.
ENGLAND
And so the Six Nations draws to a close. Not the most inspiring tournament this year but you would have to say overall France are worthy Grand Slam winners. England pushed them all the way on Saturday in Paris and it was good to see three of our own make the starting XV.
Dylan might not have had the best of days up front though it is all part of the learning curve but I thought Ben Foden and Chris Ashton brought something to England's game that has been missing all season, an eye on a half chance then having a go. Too often we have seen safety first from England and those who might argue it's the only way and you cannot play winning rugby by throwing the ball about should perhaps be sat down to watch Saints v Gloucester ad nauseum.
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David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
Quote:The Old Boy from Wolverton (happy birthday btw)
I think all the supporters who made the trip did themselves proud too.
Indeed.
Often, when I go to games and hear the crowd at full pelt, I am often disappointed to see the subsequent DVD recordings and how quiet the crowd, of which I was part, sounds.
Well I wasn't at Sixways, but there was no doubt this time how loud it was.
"Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it."
-- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161-180 A.D.
Thank you (and also happy birthday...).
Good summary of the Cup Final and working up the appetite nicely for Wicombe Wisps.
And Happy Birthday.
It is indeed the mumblings of a drunken fool
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
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