NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs GLOUCESTER RUGBY

LV= CUP FINAL

Sunday, 21st March, 2010 – 3.30pm

SIXWAYS STADIUM, WORCESTER

MATCH PREVIEW

In The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens remarks, “Rugby makes life what light and music do the stage”. Like Jane Austen and Bill Shakespeare before him, Boz enjoyed his rugger. Indeed, in Great Expectations, the character Pip says, “Rugby is part of my existence, part of myself. Rugby has been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here to Franklin’s Gardens”. Both lines exude passion for the sport that we love and what could stir the loins more than a domestic final? Well, try telling that to powers that be in the rugby world who have continually reduced this once fine competition to nothing more than an afterthought in their affections.

Back in 2003, when Northampton Saints last reached the final of this competition, a full house of 75,000 at Twickenham saw Saints come up short against this Sunday’s opponents, Gloucester. This time round the two teams lock horns at Sixways Stadium, Worcester – capacity 12,000. It is such a shame. To continue the comparison of then and now, seven years ago there was a month between semi-final and final. A month to make plans for a “grand day out”, four weeks of preparation for one of the highlights of the English rugby calendar with expectation and hope steadily building until it reached a crescendo on match day. Fast forward and it’s a manic dash for tickets and transport, sighs of relief at securing both and general grumblings about the sheer farce of it all. Oh, and it’s on a Sunday. Can you tell that I’m not a fan?

Still, it’s a Final, there’s silverware at stake and the small matter of Heineken Cup qualification on the table so let’s try and do it justice.

Gloucester Rugby come into this game on the back of a win over Cardiff Blues in last week’s semi-final across the Severn Bridge. Starting off as a scrappy affair, the game came to life in the second-half with England reject James Simpson-Daniel helping himself to a hat-trick in what ended up as a comfortable win for the Cherry and Whites. It’s difficult to find any string of form for Gloucester. They endured a poor start to the season but seemed to turn the corner after Christmas with stomping wins over Biarritz Olympique and Harlequins. However, Guinness Premiership reverses against Leicester Tigers and more recently Wycombe Wasps do suggest a soft underbelly which Saints will be looking to exploit. International call-ups mean Gloucester will be without Mike Tindall and Gareth Delve (England and Wales respectively) and whilst Alasdair Dickenson is on the bench for Scotland this weekend, head coach Brian Redpath can welcome back Rory Lawson to the Kingsholm fold. One critical area of Sunday’s match could be in midfield and Tindall’s absence should see the centre partnership of Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu and Tim Molenaar reforming. Given that the turn around in Gloucester’s fortunes has been credited to the performances of this pair, it will be vital that their contribution be nullified by Saints. Adam Eustace is likely to play number eight in the absence of the injured Luke Narraway and I understand that Peter Buxton has got the nod over Olivier Azam and Alex Brown and will captain the side on Sunday.

Chatting in the pub earlier this week (as you do), there was a wailing and gnashing of teeth over the Northampton Saints call-ups to the England squad. Saints will be without captain Dylan Hartley, Ben Foden and Chris Ashton. Dylan has made the number two shirt his own under Martin Johnson’s Red Rose regime whilst Foden has had to bide his time either on the bench or in the stands before finally being given his first start. England supporters of all colours have been calling for the inclusion of Ashton for sometime and it will be interesting to see how the Franklin’s Flyer acquits himself at international level. One bright spot on the England front from a Saintly perspective is the release of Courtney Lawes back to the club. Thank you, Mr Johnson. Saints are also without Euan Murray who will be turning out for Scotland at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon.

A friend of mine, Guinness in hand (well, it was St Patrick’s Day), remarked that we hardly have a team left and how the hell are we to beat the Cherry and Whites? Simple, says I and reach for a paper and pen…

…Actually, he says, that doesn’t look too bad, does it? No, comes the reply that’s pretty handy and we might yet get Courtney back (see above). The team has a settled look about it. Tiny was his usual barnstorming self in the victory over Saracens and Brian Mujati continues to impress as he settles into the side at Number Three. There’s bags of experience in the second row and there surely can’t be a harder working back three in English rugby. The back-line more or less picks itself although Joe Ansbro has done little wrong and could get the nod over my pick of Chris Mayor. The fly-half conundrum rears it’s head as it does every week but I’ve gone for Geraghty as I believe he is better suited to the game-plan we’ll need to lift the trophy.

As for a prediction, well, I’m confident but not overly so. I’m not gung-ho in a “we’re gonna beat the crap out of ‘em” way. To shoe-horn in a few clichés, it’s a one-off, anyone can win on the day, it’s about who wants it the most and it depends on which team turns up. I know that Northampton Saints do have the players to defeat their Gloucester counterparts and if they play with confidence and commitment then they will do so. In conclusion and to return, if I may to Dickens, he once wrote, “There is a wisdom of the head and a wisdom of the heart”. Quite right. Head says one score either way – Heart says Saints by 10. So, take your pick and enjoy the game wherever you are come Sunday afternoon.

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