SARACENS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

EDF ENERGY CUP ROUND 2

VICARAGE ROAD, WATFORD

Sunday, 26^th October 2008, 3pm

MATCH PREVIEW

I never knew it before, but I am after all a fair weather supporter. I had previously decided to give Sunday’s game a miss, for various reasons, but all of those have been Bealer Boomered into touch as I just cannot bear to miss the next instalment of the Saints. These are good days, far too good to be doing anything other than watching the Jimmies emerge from their chrysalis.

If Saracens haven’t been paying attention then they could get a shock on Sunday.

Saints appear to have moved on from our last visit to Vicarage Road only a month ago. Since then the whole team put in a stirring effort at Leicester and only just lost out after defending for long periods. That game had followed a similar pattern to the two previous away games. Was it time to re-assess the away game strategy?  Jim had stated to Will Greenwood on the Rugby Club at the start of the season that we would know more after 5 games and maybe as we had reached that point after Leicester, senior management sat around the table to “see where we are”.

Maybe they decided to use the upcoming distractions from the GP to try something they had been itching to do before? Maybe they felt it was time to play like we did last season, even against stronger opposition? Possibly the opposition had their eyes on other things? Either way the Saints averaged over 40 points and 5 tries per game in three cup matches that followed. It was back to the heady days with Wayne Smith when we were vying for top points scorers in one season and top try scorers the next season.

Hopefully Jim and Dorian, and the players will want to keep the momentum going, winning is such a lovely habit. But it’s not just the winning now, it’s capitalising on feverish forward play, attacking at any opportunity and entertaining us all with thrilling rugby.

There are genuine quality options for every position in a Saints shirt now. At Franklins last Saturday the replacements were happening too quickly because every player who was substituted was cheered to the rafters; yet we also wanted to equally applaud their replacements as they ran on, because we now know how good they can be as well. Can’t they leave a little break between the one player coming off and the one going on so that we can get our point across?

I thought Neil Best and Lordy seemed a little melancholy at the end of the SWH walk; it might have been because they knew that Chris Hoddle’s enormous appendage on his camera has an irritating habit of making you look fat and grey when you are in fact youthful and sylphlike. But more likely, they must be wondering how the heck they are going to find a place back in the Saints side if the recent performances continue? Best’s suspension caused us to weep into our ale, but as a few mentioned at the time it gave the opportunity for others to shine. And shine they have. The whole pack now seems a match for anyone. Courtenay Lawes has been a revelation but then so has Gray and Wilson.

I never used to notice the front row, but it is hard to miss the way Smith and Murray have gone about their business; Dylan seems to be able to upset the opposition but teeters very close to the line. As I said, the whole pack looks a solid unit.

The backs are playing with fluency and drive, even the ubiquitous dropping of the ball no longer seems to sap confidence or the will to attack. When Ben Foden went off last week I was initially a little deflated but quickly recovered when I realised the Dickson was replacing him. Different styles, but equally effective.

As for Sarries it is difficult to work out how seriously they want to win this competition. They rested quite a few players for the first game in this group against the Scarlets’ including 6 players under the age of 20, and went down at home, although by all accounts they could have won. These teams who cannot be bothered to get themselves relegated to try and test out their youngsters and plan for the future properly are a self-deluding bunch who will come to a sticky end.

However, they seem to have adopted a slightly different policy for Sunday.  

15 A Goode

14 Leonelli 

13 A Powell

12 A Farrell

11 N Cato

10 Ross

09 Rauluni

01 Lloyd

02 Cairns

03 Visagie

04 Borthwick

05 Chesney

06 Barrell

07 Saull

08 Skirving.

A few well known faces amongst them, Chris Jack is injured until Christmas but otherwise the pack still looks a bit tasty. That contest will be critical on Sunday.

At the time of writing Saints have not named their team. I am not surprised, Jim’s door must have been shut all week as the selection committee discussed their options. Many issues are to be considered: injuries, consistency, commitment to the competition, winning streaks and in-form performances from the Wanderers. (It would seem that neither reputation nor ego appears on that list any more.)

15 Diggin

14 Ashton

13 Ansbro

12 Downey

11 Lamont

10 Myler (capt);

09 Foden

01 Tonga’uiha

02 Hartley

03 Murray

04 Fernandez Lobbe

05 Lawes

06 Hopley

07 Gray

08 Wilson

For the most part, my selection picks itself as the only changes are to give Tom Smith a rest and let us see how Soane deals with Cobus Visagie; plus giving Bruce’s dodgy knee time to heal. The bench is not quite so clear cut. Are Rae, Easter and Carlos fit?

16 Smith
17 Shields
18 Stewart
19 Day
20 Lewitt
21 Dickson
22 Carlos

It all points to another exciting game of rugby. We never seem to be our normal selves in the Rous, so let’s mimic the team, charge forward and let them Fezheads know we are there. Sit yourself away from the drums, wrap up warm, smile sweetly at the locals and get your singing voices in gear.

I may be getting carried away with the excitement of the last three weeks but I reckon Saints are on a roll and predict a 20 point victory for the GB&G. 

Bring it on!

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