Northampton Saints
News: London Wasps v Northampton Saints Preview
By Rob Richmond
October 1 2009
It is with some trepidation that I launch Robbie's preview on an unsuspecting readership! I have edited it!!, and, while it will not appeal to everyone, Just remember that, in the words of the late Kenny Everett, It's all done in the best POSSIBLE taste!
Guinness Premiership Round 5
Wasps v Saints
Sunday 4th October
Adams Park
KO 3PM
London Wasps Vs Northampton Saints match preview
This weekend sees the Saints visit Adams Park in Wycombe, making it something
of a local derby. Don't tell the neighbours mind, you're sure to upset them.
It's been 10 years since the Saints have been able to gain an away win against the Wasps but the Saintsmen seem more likely and more capable of breaking their duck this year than on that fateful day at Adams Park in February 06, when the Wasps recalled England players from international duty in Italy to face the Northampton's finest.
Still, these days the boys from Wycombe have a few less England squad members on their books- having seen an exodus of playing staff "greedily go in search of coin (or Euros for that matter)" or as they might put it- "go in search of fresh challenges".
Mind you I can remember a time when players went to join London Wasps "to win things" or to "live and play in the capital". Still, never mind...
With everyone's favourite self important and ridiculously over rated wannabe page 7 fella now wearing a shirt covered in cat-sick it means the passing of the torch to a new man who embodies the Wycombe clubs ethos of doing what his coach tells him, regardless of how stupid it might seem, while writing his online blog, doing a charity topless photo shoot for the families of unemployed seal clubbers, opening church fetes, mid-game, and then being ‘papped' coming out of a nightclub toilet with a person named Timotei on one arm and some stick thin former lap dancing oxygen thief who believes they're an actor from Essex on the other falls to Danny ‘Punch me - I'm a celebrity' Celebriani.
And the rest of the rugby watching world rolls its eyes...
Yes after months of ‘will he? Won't he? Do we care?' talk up and down message board and up and down the dingy terraces of Adams Park, Danny did what uncle Lol told him and decided the grass is not always greener on the other side (unless that grass has been spray painted with ‘Humbrol just spray primer ‘Hunter Green' spray paint and you're being forced into one of those ghastly cat-sick shirts like the Haskellhoff, and you're playing in Paris, and the one phrase in French you can say is ‘Où la discotheque est ?').
So this is good news for the Wasps, another year of calendar sales in the club shop, more shirt sales too, mind you I personally think they're missing a trick in not selling a shirt with Celebriani's mush all over it and a phrase below saying,
"Danny Cipriani, born with a face you'd just love to punch."
Now, this shirt would entice visiting supporters into the club shop and even if it didn't prove to be a massive seller, next season when he does throw a strop and disappear across the channel, well its sure to be a popular item with Wasps fans are noted for turning off former players quicker than a pint of milk in the midday sun.
And we know what a progressive and forward thinking club London Wasps are (promoting a club as representing the capital whilst not actually playing your rugby there being a fine example) so perhaps this piece of forward thinking might garner some additional funds in an attempt to break even, let alone make a profit.
But with some of the genuinely more important players having disappeared to pastures new it was left to Uncle Lol to save the day, well, at least make it appear that way...
Into the club have come the brilliantly lightning quick, but defensively poor Tom Varndell from the Tigers, The brilliantly electric running of little Dave Lemi from Brizzle, just don't mention the cross field kicks, and the tenacious power of Steve Kefu, the Australian centre by way of Castres Olympique, who is still injured.
Uncle Lol was also able to talk Simon Shaw out of joining Frasier Waters in an Italian semi-retirement and selection of English one cap wonders and Saxon squad members that if they come to Wycombe those singular caps might just begin to double, though if that turns out to be the case with Jason Hobson and Dan Ward-Smith, well, god help us all.
Still, while it could be said that some rats were leaving a sinking ship it has not all been one-way-traffic thanks to the loving care and attention of Uncle Lol, always in the right place and at the right time to manoeuvre himself into some kind of position of political power.
Recently we have seen Wasps managing director Steve Hayes declare what a truly decent, honest and all round good chap the brand new club captain Tom Rees is for staying at the club and not taking more cash elsewhere. Mind you he may have not have learnt from the old master,
"In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."
So he may be a truly decent, honest and all round good chap, or he may have taken too many knocks to the swede already. Bad sign that at 25...
Oh he's injured again by the way, another long term injury for Rees.
Bad sign that at 25....
Meanwhile the Saints are very much on the up and up. Even with Tim Payne's bête noir Euan Murray still missing with injury the Saints pack looks to have more than enough nous and tenacious spirit to handle a gnarled and rather elderly looking pack of serial trippers, serial moaners and serial excuse filled prop forwards who never ever, ever, ever feign injury.
Yet while the Lions props seem ever ready, things look a bit bleaker on the old strength in depth front. Former Saint Charlie " left a fortnight early" Beech and England Under 20's prop forward Bob Baker continue to deputize for long term Achilles injury victims , Jason 'Would you just push off, Stevens!' Hobson and Tom French.
Saints are able to call upon club captain Dylan Hartley, fresh from a week off thanks to his Elite squad player status and lines up against the lightweight Rob Webber.
Only one winner there...
With the game won by half time and the Saints not having to get out of third gear to do so it gave DOR Jim Mallinder and Head Coach Dorian West the chance to make some changes and save players for this weekend. John Clarke, who often shines against Wasps, took the chance to try and avoid aggravating a niggling injury. And popular Young Turk Courtney Lawes was given a rest ahead of this weekend opportunity to show George Skivington who really is the best bet for building the England pack around.
Take note England coaches.
I also chuckled to myself as a read a piece in this morning's Times newspaper written by the "head of fawning praise for Wasps" David Hands. Hands took time from his usual pieces praising the Haskellhoff's new range of Crotch-less boxer shorts or why Lol Dalaglio is the key figure in the rebirth of Jesus Christ, to speak with Former Scotland, Saints, Lions, Scotland and Saints, Lions, Scotland, Lions, Wasps and Lions and now London Scottish Director of Rugby Ian McGeechan.
Guess who he wanted to talk about?
That's right, you guessed it...
Ian believes that Danny Cipriani should wangle his way back into the England line up, this time at Full Back.
"Danny can run, he can kick and he'll enjoy that extra space,"
Sure Ian, but can he behave like a professional when on England duty? How often has he played at Full Back recently? Is he playing better than Ben Foden, Ollie Morgan, Tom Homer and Alex Goode?
Ian, like Matt Dawson often seems to completely forget the time he spent at Franklin's gardens. Indeed, in his new book' Lion Man' the Saints do not feature as much as you might imagine considering his coaching career at the club lasted from 1988-1999.
Still, I'm sure the book will lift the lid on how Simon Shaw nearly single-handedly won the Lions series this summer...
No wait,
So the Saints have a great chance this week to put pressure on the Wasps and hopefully get the better of the Wycombe residents, but what do they have to do to do it?
Well possession is the key. The Saints will need to keep the ball and look to consistently get over the gain line. They need to test Dominic Waldouck's defence and that of the Celebriani, step forward Jimmy Downey and Roger Wilson.
Keep the ball, be patient and drive it up, drive it up, ask questions of them all the time. Running the angles at the props and 2nd rows in the centre in the 7th and 8th phase will garner results and line breaks, so long as our best ball runners are followed into holes by the saints support runners and look for the off load...
Results are plenty possible.
Many will also be very aware the while Tom Varndell and Paul Sackey are very good going forwards they are both ordinary to borderline poor on the turn and chase. But a kick is only as good as its chase so let's hope that Chris Ashton's return to the side and to form will continue and both he and Bruce Reihana are able to get in their faces and put them under pressure.
Sackey's ball control when tackled often gifts penalties to sides and Varndell was not only vilified and summarily dismissed by most Tigers fans for his inability for all his pace to contend with tight grubber kicks in behind him.
Wasps always give away a great number of penalties. Always have, always will. But the Saints need not only to make those penalties count but also ensure they don't allow themselves to get into the @#$%& for tat spats that often allow Wasps back into so many games.
Patience, composure, hard work, keep the ball...
Saints
1Tonga'uiha
2 Hartley
3 Bonarino
4 Lawes
5 Kruger
6 Dowson
7 Best
8 Wilson
9 Dickson
10 Geraghty
11 Reihana
12 Downey
13 Clarke
14 Ashton
15 Foden
16 Sharman
17 Mujati
18Dreyer
19 Lobbe
20 Gray
21 Dickens
22 Myler
23 Mayor
Wasps
15 Lachlan Mitchell
14 Paul Sackey
13 Ben Jacobs
12 Dominic Waldouck
11 Tom Varndell
10 Danny Cipriani
9 Joe Simpson
1 Tim Payne
2 Rob Webber
3 Phil Vickery
4 George Skivington
5 Richard Birkett
6 Joe Worsley
7 Serge Betsen
8 John Hart
16 Tom Lindsay
17 Charlie Beech
18 Bob Baker
19 Daniel Leo
20 Dan Ward-Smith
21 Warren Fury
22 Dave Walder
23 Mark Odejobi
Saints by 3
It's been 10 years since the Saints have been able to gain an away win against the Wasps but the Saintsmen seem more likely and more capable of breaking their duck this year than on that fateful day at Adams Park in February 06, when the Wasps recalled England players from international duty in Italy to face the Northampton's finest.
Still, these days the boys from Wycombe have a few less England squad members on their books- having seen an exodus of playing staff "greedily go in search of coin (or Euros for that matter)" or as they might put it- "go in search of fresh challenges".
Mind you I can remember a time when players went to join London Wasps "to win things" or to "live and play in the capital". Still, never mind...
With everyone's favourite self important and ridiculously over rated wannabe page 7 fella now wearing a shirt covered in cat-sick it means the passing of the torch to a new man who embodies the Wycombe clubs ethos of doing what his coach tells him, regardless of how stupid it might seem, while writing his online blog, doing a charity topless photo shoot for the families of unemployed seal clubbers, opening church fetes, mid-game, and then being ‘papped' coming out of a nightclub toilet with a person named Timotei on one arm and some stick thin former lap dancing oxygen thief who believes they're an actor from Essex on the other falls to Danny ‘Punch me - I'm a celebrity' Celebriani.
And the rest of the rugby watching world rolls its eyes...
Yes after months of ‘will he? Won't he? Do we care?' talk up and down message board and up and down the dingy terraces of Adams Park, Danny did what uncle Lol told him and decided the grass is not always greener on the other side (unless that grass has been spray painted with ‘Humbrol just spray primer ‘Hunter Green' spray paint and you're being forced into one of those ghastly cat-sick shirts like the Haskellhoff, and you're playing in Paris, and the one phrase in French you can say is ‘Où la discotheque est ?').
So this is good news for the Wasps, another year of calendar sales in the club shop, more shirt sales too, mind you I personally think they're missing a trick in not selling a shirt with Celebriani's mush all over it and a phrase below saying,
"Danny Cipriani, born with a face you'd just love to punch."
Now, this shirt would entice visiting supporters into the club shop and even if it didn't prove to be a massive seller, next season when he does throw a strop and disappear across the channel, well its sure to be a popular item with Wasps fans are noted for turning off former players quicker than a pint of milk in the midday sun.
And we know what a progressive and forward thinking club London Wasps are (promoting a club as representing the capital whilst not actually playing your rugby there being a fine example) so perhaps this piece of forward thinking might garner some additional funds in an attempt to break even, let alone make a profit.
But with some of the genuinely more important players having disappeared to pastures new it was left to Uncle Lol to save the day, well, at least make it appear that way...
Into the club have come the brilliantly lightning quick, but defensively poor Tom Varndell from the Tigers, The brilliantly electric running of little Dave Lemi from Brizzle, just don't mention the cross field kicks, and the tenacious power of Steve Kefu, the Australian centre by way of Castres Olympique, who is still injured.
Uncle Lol was also able to talk Simon Shaw out of joining Frasier Waters in an Italian semi-retirement and selection of English one cap wonders and Saxon squad members that if they come to Wycombe those singular caps might just begin to double, though if that turns out to be the case with Jason Hobson and Dan Ward-Smith, well, god help us all.
Still, while it could be said that some rats were leaving a sinking ship it has not all been one-way-traffic thanks to the loving care and attention of Uncle Lol, always in the right place and at the right time to manoeuvre himself into some kind of position of political power.
Recently we have seen Wasps managing director Steve Hayes declare what a truly decent, honest and all round good chap the brand new club captain Tom Rees is for staying at the club and not taking more cash elsewhere. Mind you he may have not have learnt from the old master,
"In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."
So he may be a truly decent, honest and all round good chap, or he may have taken too many knocks to the swede already. Bad sign that at 25...
Oh he's injured again by the way, another long term injury for Rees.
Bad sign that at 25....
Meanwhile the Saints are very much on the up and up. Even with Tim Payne's bête noir Euan Murray still missing with injury the Saints pack looks to have more than enough nous and tenacious spirit to handle a gnarled and rather elderly looking pack of serial trippers, serial moaners and serial excuse filled prop forwards who never ever, ever, ever feign injury.
Yet while the Lions props seem ever ready, things look a bit bleaker on the old strength in depth front. Former Saint Charlie " left a fortnight early" Beech and England Under 20's prop forward Bob Baker continue to deputize for long term Achilles injury victims , Jason 'Would you just push off, Stevens!' Hobson and Tom French.
Saints are able to call upon club captain Dylan Hartley, fresh from a week off thanks to his Elite squad player status and lines up against the lightweight Rob Webber.
Only one winner there...
With the game won by half time and the Saints not having to get out of third gear to do so it gave DOR Jim Mallinder and Head Coach Dorian West the chance to make some changes and save players for this weekend. John Clarke, who often shines against Wasps, took the chance to try and avoid aggravating a niggling injury. And popular Young Turk Courtney Lawes was given a rest ahead of this weekend opportunity to show George Skivington who really is the best bet for building the England pack around.
Take note England coaches.
I also chuckled to myself as a read a piece in this morning's Times newspaper written by the "head of fawning praise for Wasps" David Hands. Hands took time from his usual pieces praising the Haskellhoff's new range of Crotch-less boxer shorts or why Lol Dalaglio is the key figure in the rebirth of Jesus Christ, to speak with Former Scotland, Saints, Lions, Scotland and Saints, Lions, Scotland, Lions, Wasps and Lions and now London Scottish Director of Rugby Ian McGeechan.
Guess who he wanted to talk about?
That's right, you guessed it...
Ian believes that Danny Cipriani should wangle his way back into the England line up, this time at Full Back.
"Danny can run, he can kick and he'll enjoy that extra space,"
Sure Ian, but can he behave like a professional when on England duty? How often has he played at Full Back recently? Is he playing better than Ben Foden, Ollie Morgan, Tom Homer and Alex Goode?
Ian, like Matt Dawson often seems to completely forget the time he spent at Franklin's gardens. Indeed, in his new book' Lion Man' the Saints do not feature as much as you might imagine considering his coaching career at the club lasted from 1988-1999.
Still, I'm sure the book will lift the lid on how Simon Shaw nearly single-handedly won the Lions series this summer...
No wait,
So the Saints have a great chance this week to put pressure on the Wasps and hopefully get the better of the Wycombe residents, but what do they have to do to do it?
Well possession is the key. The Saints will need to keep the ball and look to consistently get over the gain line. They need to test Dominic Waldouck's defence and that of the Celebriani, step forward Jimmy Downey and Roger Wilson.
Keep the ball, be patient and drive it up, drive it up, ask questions of them all the time. Running the angles at the props and 2nd rows in the centre in the 7th and 8th phase will garner results and line breaks, so long as our best ball runners are followed into holes by the saints support runners and look for the off load...
Results are plenty possible.
Many will also be very aware the while Tom Varndell and Paul Sackey are very good going forwards they are both ordinary to borderline poor on the turn and chase. But a kick is only as good as its chase so let's hope that Chris Ashton's return to the side and to form will continue and both he and Bruce Reihana are able to get in their faces and put them under pressure.
Sackey's ball control when tackled often gifts penalties to sides and Varndell was not only vilified and summarily dismissed by most Tigers fans for his inability for all his pace to contend with tight grubber kicks in behind him.
Wasps always give away a great number of penalties. Always have, always will. But the Saints need not only to make those penalties count but also ensure they don't allow themselves to get into the @#$%& for tat spats that often allow Wasps back into so many games.
Patience, composure, hard work, keep the ball...
Saints
1Tonga'uiha
2 Hartley
3 Bonarino
4 Lawes
5 Kruger
6 Dowson
7 Best
8 Wilson
9 Dickson
10 Geraghty
11 Reihana
12 Downey
13 Clarke
14 Ashton
15 Foden
16 Sharman
17 Mujati
18Dreyer
19 Lobbe
20 Gray
21 Dickens
22 Myler
23 Mayor
Wasps
15 Lachlan Mitchell
14 Paul Sackey
13 Ben Jacobs
12 Dominic Waldouck
11 Tom Varndell
10 Danny Cipriani
9 Joe Simpson
1 Tim Payne
2 Rob Webber
3 Phil Vickery
4 George Skivington
5 Richard Birkett
6 Joe Worsley
7 Serge Betsen
8 John Hart
16 Tom Lindsay
17 Charlie Beech
18 Bob Baker
19 Daniel Leo
20 Dan Ward-Smith
21 Warren Fury
22 Dave Walder
23 Mark Odejobi
Saints by 3
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StumbleuponNews: London Wasps v Northampton Saints Preview
Discussion started by ComeOnYouSaints.com , 01/10/2009 20:43
ComeOnYouSaints.com
01/10/2009 20:43
01/10/2009 20:43
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:10:05:20:32:22 by St Marlowe.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:10:05:20:32:22 by St Marlowe.
Geech wasnt coach here till mid 90,s and theres a whole chapter in his book on the Saints, same as Wasps.
Very amusing, I'd love to know what was actually edited out!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:10:01:21:29:35 by dawson9.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:10:01:21:29:35 by dawson9.
I still think its an unfair swipe Rob, he acheived much more with Wasps than he did with us yet he'c still very glowing about his time here and quite clearly states he has always regretted leaving. At the end of the day anyones going to write much more about the a HC win than walking the old Div Two.
mild swears.......
honest.......
i never wrote nothing bout anyones mum.......
honest.......
i never wrote nothing bout anyones mum.......
its more about the lad he's talking about Chris...
its such a typically waspish thing to do...
its such a typically waspish thing to do...
Mrs. Richmond, we're worried about young Robby. Is everything all right at home?
Lets hope your walking ASBO Hartley can refrain from swearing at young kids this year when you come to us.
Bloody hell, ed, do you always preview the preview with an apology on the Ain'ts board?
RR. You must have typed this with one hand, whilst playing with yourself with the other.
RR. You must have typed this with one hand, whilst playing with yourself with the other.
There's a much more balanced preview on the Wasps site, if there are any rugby supporters who wants to read it.
KevinTheB
www.justgiving.com/kevinbroadbent
KevinTheB
www.justgiving.com/kevinbroadbent
Being praised by Bod is rather like having character references from Peter Mandelson, Russell Brand and Bernard Madoff.
The usual unpleasant preview from a man who continues to reflect badly on our club.
Uncontestably a fine preview, which leaves little to the imagination.
I hope our pack will labour mightily - like some of Rob's metaphors
Guscott (BBC) thinks Saints will lose, so we've got a chance...
*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*
I hope our pack will labour mightily - like some of Rob's metaphors
Guscott (BBC) thinks Saints will lose, so we've got a chance...
*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*
"Saints are able to call upon club captain Dylan Hartley, fresh from a week off thanks to his Elite squad player status and lines up against the lightweight Rob Webber.
Only one winner there... "
I don't know if you were listening to the radio commentary, but didn't they give MOM to Rob Webber?
KevinTheB
www.justgiving.com/kevinbroadbent
Only one winner there... "
I don't know if you were listening to the radio commentary, but didn't they give MOM to Rob Webber?
KevinTheB
www.justgiving.com/kevinbroadbent
Kevin - Mr R probably thinks he knows a bit about hookers. I've been told that his brother is a former Saints hooker.
Fine performance by the 'lightweight' today.
Fine performance by the 'lightweight' today.
There were several moments more suited to the boxing ring
Dylan did attempt a haymaker on webber but fortunately for both missed, gerahty seemed to punch and kick vickery while on the ground not clear about that one and chris Ashton appeared to try and prevent our physio from getting too an unconcipus Mitchell, not clear on this one either
fine second half from saints,reiganna pick of your players but you never looked like scoring a try.
About the correct score based on effort.
Dylan did attempt a haymaker on webber but fortunately for both missed, gerahty seemed to punch and kick vickery while on the ground not clear about that one and chris Ashton appeared to try and prevent our physio from getting too an unconcipus Mitchell, not clear on this one either
fine second half from saints,reiganna pick of your players but you never looked like scoring a try.
About the correct score based on effort.
Yes Richard it was all one way against your shrinking violets, what utter beasts we are...
Unfortunately I didn't spot our shrinking violets doing anything untoward, although the "light weight" Man of the match Rob Webber obviously got under the skin of the pantomine Dylan. Seems that those nearer the Ashton incident have reported it more fairly (quote Roger_e)..... As for for LI reject and would be England 10/12 I was a bit nearer that one and whilst Viks was clearly offering to tie his shoelaces he did appear to stamp.... or perhaps try and release his boot with the aid of a punch or two.
We all have a slightly biased view and whilst clearly our try scorer (we actually got one) did an embarassing swallow dive to say he could run it under the posts as pointed out by others on your site was clearly B&&&&&&ks......
Anyway a good competitive match nice to see although quite surprised all 30 men staying on the pitch for a change .... we probbalky edged it but only just
good luck in the proper cup comp. next week
We all have a slightly biased view and whilst clearly our try scorer (we actually got one) did an embarassing swallow dive to say he could run it under the posts as pointed out by others on your site was clearly B&&&&&&ks......
Anyway a good competitive match nice to see although quite surprised all 30 men staying on the pitch for a change .... we probbalky edged it but only just
good luck in the proper cup comp. next week
Where's Robby, with his carefully considered post-match thoughts? Still going over the brief ITV highlights, so that he can decide what to say? Or waiting for bro' to give him a few hints?
I'm assuming that he was nowhere near Adams Park yesterday!
I'm assuming that he was nowhere near Adams Park yesterday!
Wow, that's the single most bitter piece I've ever read about Wasps. And there's been a few - the green eyed monster breeds some bitter people!
And it gets worse. The same person, whose vision is blurred by spite, has opened a thread with the words "Discussion Point" in which he includes the following "typically it seemed that the Wasps and Wales coach was more concerned with winning than serving the public trust of the players..."
Come on, fella, sort yourself out. If you really want to attract objective discussion on any subject, try tempering your own personal, bigoted views!
Come on, fella, sort yourself out. If you really want to attract objective discussion on any subject, try tempering your own personal, bigoted views!
Well reading this after the match was entertaining. The talent in writing such a piece to to have the subjects of the humour to find it funny, and this skill is lacking here. I prefer a more balanced preview myself where the digs at Wasps players, county rather than city setting have more tongue in cheek and less of the bitterness inadequacy (inadequacy of the author not the Saints). Makes you wonder what substance may have inspired this poetic literary masterpiece???
Maks some valid views tho..Varndell does need to improve his defence, Cips does need to grow up and has more to do to regain the England 10 jersey.
Glad we got a win from such a tough game but shame for you you lost such an easy fixture against such an inferior side.
Maks some valid views tho..Varndell does need to improve his defence, Cips does need to grow up and has more to do to regain the England 10 jersey.
Glad we got a win from such a tough game but shame for you you lost such an easy fixture against such an inferior side.
I found the article to be amusing.
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
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