Point number one: Don’t play almost half of the match with only 14 players on the pitch, especially when the opposition is one of the best teams in the league. It gives them an advantage that they really don’t need!

Point number two: Don’t attempt a drop goal unless you are in the opposition half of the pitch and roughly in front of the posts. It just makes you look silly.

Point number three: Play your best fly half in the big matches. The outside half is the pivot of the team so it doesn’t make a lot of sense to bring him on with barely 30 minutes left. And remember he’s a confidence player. He didn’t thrive under Diamond-style management.

Point number four: If you have the most promising young English back in your ranks, give him a bit of support. He can’t do it all on his own.

Point number five: Next time you reach a semi final, find someone to play other than Northampton away.

Ah Venter, late again I see, well I don’t have time to go over it all again just for you. Sit down over there by Mallinder.

Now for your homework this week I want you to use the points we have discussed to come up with a plan to beat Newcastle Ok? Venter you might need to copy Mallinder’s notes. On second thoughts don’t bother, Newcastle are the only team to have won at Franklin’s Gardens in 49 matches. You might be better off talking to Cockerill .

OK, there’s the bell, off you go. 

A trip to Franklin’s Gardens is always accompanied by a feeling of hope rather than expectation. Over the years little DG and I have ventured up the M1 on many occasions. The “Gardens” have been our home ground, a neutral venue and more often, home of our rivals Northampton Saints. In all those years I have only once seen the Men in Black win. 2006 it was, 35-13 I think and we scored 4 tries! Can you believe such a thing?. Every time we marvel at the facilities available to The Saints (what wouldn’t we give for a complex like that) and they do have the best ladies loos in the league.

So this year was no different. We put out arguably our strongest team (the argument being around the 10) but Northampton looked stronger. They had won 5 out of their last 6, we had lost a similar number. Still miracles do happen sometimes and if this was to be a day of miracles then little DG and I wanted to be there to enjoy it.

The game started rather inauspiciously with Hougaard attempting a drop goal after 30 seconds, this one from wide on the left in his own half. Needless to say it missed. The kick was followed by shouts of “boring” and donkey noises from the assembled Saints fans and you couldn’t blame them. Things looked up after 3 minutes when Sarries won a penalty in front of the posts after Hougaard passed the ball on 2 separate occasions. Hougaard duly kicked the goal and we were in the lead, 0-3. (I have to say that all the penalties were kicked refreshingly in silence).

It didn’t last! Northampton won a penalty from their first scrum of the match (here we go again) which they took quickly and captain Phil Dowson scored a try in the corner. Geraghty’s difficult conversion hit the posts and after 8 minutes it was 5-3. Worse was to follow as Lealamanua left the field with an injury to be replaced by Tom Mercey (soon to be a Saint himself).

Hougaard missed a long penalty for Sarries which seemed to spur him on to yet another ludicrous drop goal attempt, again from inside his own half. It didn’t have the legs. Shortly after a promising run from Alex Goode brought about a Sarries penalty which again Hougaard converted and we were back in the lead 5-6.

A Sarries knock on gave Northampton another scrum which resulted in a free kick. Ashton showed how dangerous he is (why isn’t he in the England Team for goodness sake) breaking free before De Kock forced a knock on. Wonder of wonders Sarries won a penalty at the scrum which Hougaard kicked for 5-9. It was all going too well. After 21 minutes captain Ernst Joubert was yellow carded after he kicked the ball out of Dickson’s hands while lying on the floor. Geraghty kicked the penalty and Saints were back within a point.

Sarries defended well. Dickson and Geraghty looked dangerous but were well tackled. Northampton didn’t help themselves with some sloppy passing. Then the moment we all dread – Alex Goode seemed to fall awkwardly in tackling Ashton and clutched his right knee. He was down for some time. It looked ominous. But he struggled to his feet and limped on. Worse was to follow, Brits collided heavily with a green shirt while making a superb pass to de Kock which could have led to a try had the bounce been favourable. Both he and Goode needed more attention but both soldiered on.

More success at the scrum. A Sarries free kick on a Northampton put in was a moral victory especially as it was 7 v 8. Northampton didn’t roll away and Sarries were awarded another penalty in front of the posts which Hougaard kicked to stretch the lead to 8-12. Unfortunately from the restart one of the Saints was taken out in the air and Geraghty reduced the deficit back to 1 point 11-12. Still Joubert was now back on and the sin bin hadn’t cost us too heavily. Encouragingly Goode was running freely again but Brits looked out of sorts. Hougaard decided on yet another ludicrous drop goal from his own half with the same result. Northampton won another scrum and another penalty. From the resulting lineout they were looking dangerous and Wyles could only clear to the 22. Northampton had the bit between their teeth now and attacked Sarries try line. They took a quick penalty then the referee seemed to award Sarries a penalty. The next thing we knew he appeared to have reversed his decision and Skuse was marching to the bin. Confusing signs apparently and Skuse pinged yet again for not rolling away.  Geraghty converted and Northampton went into the break ahead 14-12.

The second half started, unsurprisingly, without Brits. Reynecke replaced him. Could we hold out for another 8 minutes with only 14 men and now none of our starting front row? Worse was to follow as Wyles hobbled off with a nasty looking ankle injury to be replaced by Haughton. Northampton had got the rolling maul going which Sarries could only pull down illegally. Inevitably Northampton won another scrum. Saull departed to allow Alex Brown to come in at prop. And wonder of wonders the Sarries 7 won a penalty. Unfortunately Hougaard’s clearance was a poor one and the pressure was back on. Northampton attacked again through the dangerous Dickson and eventually Mujati went over in the corner. There was glimmer of hope as Monsieur Poite went to the TV replay but the try was awarded. Geraghty missed a difficult conversion but Northampton had now stretched their lead to 19-12. The force was clearly with them as from the restart Geraghty set Ashton free and although Goode tackled well, he off loaded to Diggin who scored. Again Geraghty missed the conversion but Northampton now had a 24-12 lead.

Sarries managed to hang on until the sin bin was over and Skuse and Saull returned. Marshall replaced de Kock (who had had one of his better games) and Jackson came on for Hougaard, thank the lord.

Almost immediately Sarries won a penalty in front which they took quickly. Penney made a good break but ran into touch and the opportunity was lost. At least they were passing the ball and looking to score. Melck replaced Saull and Ryder replaced Smith. The outcome was a Northampton penalty at the Sarries’ scrum. Somehow Geraghty hit a simple kick against the bar.

Play moved back to the Northampton half. Northampton knocked on but turned the subsequent scrum to get the put in. At which point Sarries won a free kick. Marshall and Jackson seemed to be bringing the backs into play and Sarries won 2 penalties in quick succession of which Jackson elected to kick the second for 24-15. 20 minutes left, 9 points adrift. Northampton seemed to have lost some focus and along with the generosity of Geraghty could Sarries yet creep in through the back door?

Mercey and Brown swapped places (another injury apparently) and Northampton got the better of another scrum. Northampton set up a maul but again it was well defended. Dickens replaced Dickson. Sarries won another penalty at the scrum. It was all going well. Sarries were defending valiantly and launching the odd attack of their own but eventually, inevitably Northampton turned the ball over and in a melee of bodies (which included Monsieur Poite on his rear end) Neil Best scored a fourth try for Northampton. It has to be said that Sarries were down to 13 at that point with both Haughton and Ratuvou down injured but there was an inevitability about it. For once Geraghty converted and Saints went 31-15 ahead, surely too big a gap.

Saints had the luxury of making a raft of tactical changes (by this point Sarries had used all their subs, largely because of injuries). Maybe the change of personnel was disruptive because Sarries were looking more dangerous. Botha got close. Dreyer was shown a yellow card for killing the ball. Sarries made the most of the advantage. Melck made a break but instead of going for the line looked round for support by which time the chance was gone. Sarries won a couple of penalties which Jackson kicked to the corner. They had a long period of possession with 8 or 9 phases when time and again they were held up close to the line. Goode foolishly seemed to pick a fight with Kruger and his mate Botha came to his aid which resulted in Botha and Kruger departed for fighting. Sarries secured the line out and Melck went over in the corner for a well deserved try. Unfortunately Jackson’s  conversion hit the post and the score was now 31-20 with 5 minutes left.

But in the end it was just too much. Ratuvou made a good break but was forced into touch and eventually Northampton hung on.

So we lost.

On the negative side we have to keep all our players on the pitch. We’re struggling enough with 15 after all so it seems crazy to put ourselves at a disadvantage. We got away with the first sin binning (6-3 to Northampton) but paid for it with the second (13 unanswered points – we only lost by 11. How costly was that).

We have to stop seeing the drop goal as our only attacking option, especially when it doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of going over.

We have to stop looking gift horses in the mouth. Geraghty missed 12 points for Northampton and let us back into a game when we should have been dead and buried.

At 24-15 we had a chance – but we didn’t take it.

But there were positives too. We could (could rather than should) have won this.

• We scored a try – only our 3^rd in the last 5 matches.
• Our handling was much better.
• On paper our scrum held its own although on the field it was definitely under pressure (5 Sarries scrums produced 2 Sarries penalties, 2 Northampton penalties and 1 Sarries free kick while 5 Northampton scrums produced 2 Northampton penalties & 1 free kick and 1 Sarries penalty and 1 free kick.) At 1 point only Joubert of our first choice forwards was on the pitch.
• We didn’t even look like conceding a penalty try.
• Our players now get a well earned break and hopefully Lealamanua and Mercey and Brits and Wyles and Goode will quickly mend.
• The cavalry is coming. Borthwick and Gill will be back for our next match (how we’ve missed them) along with our Italians – just as well as our front row is down to the bare bones.
• Alex Goode looked a class apart – again our best player. Burger and Botha (until he went to the bin) also made a positive contribution.
• Tonga’uiha will be a definite asset (their best player).
• And with Jackson on the pitch we did bring our backs into play.

So today we lost the battle. But we might yet win the war.

(Postscript: just taken the dog for a walk and watched 4 Red Kites soaring over the fields of East Herts. Fabulous, puts a mere rugby match into perspective).

Northampton Saints

Reihana, Ashton, Clarke, Downey (Myler), Diggin, Geraghty, Dickson (Dickens), Tonga’uiha (Dreyer sin bin), Sharman (Long), Mujati, Fernandez Lobbe (Cannon), Kruger (sin bin), Dowson (Easter), Best, Wilson

Saracens

Goode, Penney, Ratuvou, Barritt, Wyles (Haughton), Hougaard (Jackson), De Kock (Marshall), Lealamanua (Mercey, Brown), Brits (Reynecke), Skuse (sinbin Brown), Smith (Ryder), Botha (sin bin), Burger, Saull (Melck) Joubert (sin bin)

Scores:

0-3, 5-3, 5-6, 5-9. 8-9, 8-12, 11-12, 14-12, 19-12, 24-12, 24-15, 31-15, 31-20

Scorers:

Northampton:

Tries: Dowson, Mujati, Diggin, Best.   Conv: Geraghty   Pen: Geraghty 3

Saracens:

Tries: Melck   Pen: Hougaard (4) Jackson

Attendance 11,894

Referee Roman Poite

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