I was not at the match so according to some on here I am not allowed to comment, but I will anyway. What is up with our discipline?

Absolutely shocking and it sounds like it lost us the match today. Two yellow cards, numerous strings of penalties. It is not possible to win under those circumstances.

It sounded like our scrum was shocking, which is costing us badly. It sounded like we were intent to attack when we got the ball but apart from the first ten or so minutes, we just didn't have a platform to work from.

You have to accept that DrV's game plan is sterile.
When HoofHard had his first drop goal attempt at something like 2 minutes in, from the the wing, in his own half, you just knew it was only a matter of time before the wheels came off.
Saints did their best to help you with some comical penalty and conversion attempts from Shane but in all honesty the only spark of positive rugby was when Marshall and Jackson came on, but by then it was far too late.

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Church's X block L739 still deafened by St Colin

I was at the game today. Here is how I see today's game and the current situation of the club. Just to be clear, I think Saints deserved to win today because they were the better team. But not by as clear as the score was:

The Referee: Ernt Joubert's sin binning was without warning and looked not to be very serious. He obviously infringed at the breakdown but he was not killing the ball on our try line or stamping on somebodies head! To be sin binned on your first offence is rare. There was plenty of times in the second half when Northampton were warned for breakdown infringments and no yellow card was used until the dying minutes. There was also an issue with the last try for Northampton, where the referee blocked two of our defenders and fell over in the process. He went to the TMO to check the grounding as he was on the floor! For me today's referee was more inconsistant that David Rose.

Richard Skuse: Can somebody clarify what it was for? I'm presuming back chat. He is an experienced player to know better. We conceded 15 points in that 10 mins and in theory that cost us the game. I would drop him for the next game. However, there was an incident in the second half (with 21 minutes to go) when a Saints player back chatted. The decision got overturned, but where was the sin binning?

Schalk Brits: Hope the injury isn't too bad

Good points:

1. Scrummaging improved,
2. Jacques Burger.
3. Alex Goode (as per usual)
4. If we get into the GP Semi Final and come up against Saints, I think we have a chance.
5. Tonga'uiha was the best player on the pitch IMHO.

How we can improve:

1. Play Glen at FH. Stuff rotation.
2. Vary up the style.
3. Strengthen the squad for next. Yes, we have made the big name signings already, but this season has slipped because the squad isn't good enough. We need some front row cover, some second row cover and a fly half.

I didn't think your scrum was all that bad today, Tiny certainly got pinged a few times.

That Alex Goode is something very special, everytime he's played against us he's been Saracens best player. He reminds me a bit of Geordan Murphy who's someone who I really fear everytime he has ball in hand and can really kill us on a break. Damn brave player too.

Jacques Burger is brilliant. I think we can safely say that WVH leaving will not leave as big hole as we thought.

And yes, Goode is fantastic. I can't wait to see him at fly half. It will give Dr V no choice but to play running rugby. He is the future of Sarries, along with (to a lesser extent) George and Saull.

Joubert kicked the ball out of Dickson's hands from a ruck, definitely a penalty but yellow card harsh.
Skuse clung on to the tackled player long after being warned, and probably had to go. It was the concession of the previous penalty that really cost us in a situation when we were in control of the situation.
I think we got a few scrum penalties for the sake of 'rotation', but were generally getting hammered.
Two years ago we played Mont de Marsan at home and they realised that they could not compete in the scrums. So they got the ball in and out at breakneck speed before we had a chance to apply any pressure. Why aren't we doing that?

MrRobby - as I said on another thread Ernst kicked or tried to kick the ball out of Dickson's hands right in front of the ref. A no brainer for M.Poite. Skuse was on the wrong side, getting a right shoeing and was told to move 3 times. Poite then said it was the third time someone had done it in quick succession. On the Saints guy, I am not sure of what the original offence was, but he was signalling "not straight" to the ref and he pinged him. Whether it ws overturning the original decision I am not sure.

With the benefit of tv, I thought the ref had an excellent game. As the commentator said when he pinged Tom for not binding, "I wish he'd been at Murrayfield yesterday."

At the stadium and having not watched the telly yet, I thought Best got away with an awful lot on the floor at the breakdown and a lot of Sarries were not rolling away. How accurate is that? Thought that was a very silly decision to bin the two at the end. To the letter of the law the 5 yellows looked just about right...ref's are given a bit more discretion than he gave though I feel

Ok, sounds fair. It just seemed to me that the penalty count was pretty even and I feel in the second half Saints had lots of warnings, whereas I didn't see any in the second half.

What did their last try look like on TV? It looked dodgy from where I was and Goode and Jackson were furious.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 14/03/2010 20:31 by MrRobby.

Quote:

I was not at the match so according to some on here I am not allowed to comment.....

....unlike last week, it was on TV so anyone could see what was going on and comment.

Despite the result, I think it was the best match we have seen for a good while. Pity about the sin bins, otherwise it may have been something special.

"What did their last try look like on TV? It looked dodgy from where I was and Goode and Jackson were furious."

Didn't see a problem - Best got it down ok. Nice quote from Poite "Ees there any reason I cannot geev the try - apart from the fact I was flat on my bum". Can't imagine Chris White managing that in French!"

It looked like the ref blocked both our tacklers, and in doing so Poite fell over.

Maybe it's just my eyes playing tricks on me!

Ref was in the wrong position a few times and disrupted an attack of ours by blocking a pass. Nothing wrong with the last try though. Maybe the second sin binning was a bit harsh.
I hear on the jungle drums that Tiny is having secon thoughts (no I'm not fishing or trying to wind you up, just heard a few whispers)
Lack of horny horns was a supprise, nice and vocal though and your procession from the car park showed some intent. I'm sure it helped lift you players when they got off the bus.

Quote:

I hear on the jungle drums that Tiny is having secon thoughts

And...?

What if he is? A contract is a contraact. Too late now for second thoughts

Just saying what i have heard. I'm not sure how these contracts are worked. I'd be very supprised if there wasn't some sort of get out clause. Probably just wishful thinking on my part. Make sure you use him though as it would be a real waste!!!

Sorry, slight overreaction by me!

He is a brilliant player and can't wait to see him, and I fully understand why you don't want him to leave!

Didnt foden sign a contract with sale and then come to us anyway or did i dream that?

I do remember that Bruce signed for a Japanese club, then ended up staying at Saints - so it can happen.

Wishful thinking for it to happen with Tiny - as has been said before, look after him and use him well (but not too well when you play us next season!)

Tiny will be a great signing for Sarries if the backroom boys can keep him conditioned in the manner he has been at FG. If he is allowed to turn back into the lump he was when he first arrived at Northampton then he will not be the same player.

If he is having second thoughts then he only has himself or his agent to blame. I seem to remember another 'local legend' winger being poorly advised a couple of years ago !

Hopefully, both sides will be at full strength for the league game in April - that will be a close one.

and Paul Warwick signed a contract with LI (allegedly), then stayed at Munster - it can happen.

All 3 cards justified in my view, all 3 for crass ill discipline (why on earth did Botha get involved with Kruger?). As mentioned above, Skuse had plenty of chances to move, Joubert was just plain stupid. Didn't leave Msr Poitre (who I'm warming to) a whole pile of choice.