By lilyg
November 2 2014
"Rugby football is a game I can't claim absolutely to understand in all its niceties, if you know what I mean. I can follow the broad, general principles, of course. I mean to say, I know that the main scheme is to work the ball down the field somehow and deposit it over the line at the other end and that, in order to squelch this programme, each side is allowed to put in a certain amount of assault and battery and do things to its fellow man which, if done elsewhere, would result in 14 days without the option, coupled with some strong remarks from the Bench." - P. G. Wodehouse Very Good, Jeeves (1930)
It is 1st November right? So how come there are people still in t-shirts? Hmmm, Paddington Bear coat is still coming with me in case this mini tropical day goes back to proper British weather and we have a blizzard at half-time.
Adorned with the lucky socks and a bit perturbed that lucky turnstile 15 was closed (any loss would obviously be my fault), another full house at Franklins Gardens had nothing to worry about........nowt!
Who needs Strictly Come Dancing when you've got the twinkling toes of Tom Collins? A sparkling performance that will have our incumbent fullback looking over his shoulder, but back to him later.
An impressive start from Saints saw them pressing Falcons hard with determined, enthusiastic and flowing play - a young squad looking to show their international counterparts that they would have to fight for their places when returned from their adventures on the big stage. They weren’t just here to make up the numbers in a competition that isn’t held in the highest respect by some corners, they were here to show us the future.
A bit of a butter fingers moment saw Saints turn the ball over and a lovely Falcons attack followed with superb passing and support running lines that allowed Tom Catterick to score a scintillating try (see, I told you going in the wrong turnstile would cause chaos).
Not to be out done – anything you can do, we can do better – Saints response was immediate with those twinkling Collins feet blinding the opposition as he danced through the Falcons flailing defence to dot down over the whitewash – woo hoo! Come on you lucky socks, out do that turnstile.
As a warm and friendly club, several players welcomed Mr Tuilagi back to Northampton with hugs and cuddles. Looking rather more robust than in days gone by – barraging attempts to run through our young 'uns left him halted in his tracks by clamps round his knees. I think his best days are over, but he tried, have to give him credit for that.
Saints went back on the attack, they ebbed and flowed with style and grace. Left to right, right to left, a pack showing Falcons who was boss. The ball flew left to Christian Day who, with a flying attacker heading his way, threw an overhead pass that LeBron James would have been proud of to let in that flying winger Mikey Heywood to score, what was an exhibition try in the corner – woo hoo! Come on you lucky socks, out do that turnstile.Fast paced, free flowing rugby made it an absorbing match. Yep, there were unforced handling errors, OK the line out was probably still on it's half term break (but it did get better) and the odd handful of butterfingers, but this was turning into a highly entertaining encounter from two committed teams.
Falcons should have gone back in front immediately, but with two men over, Scott McLeod failed to offload and former Falcon Joel Hodgson, making his Saints debut, felled the second row oak with a mighty tackle.
Ariel ping pong punctuated the game – it's dull, but then so was the Falcons game plan that offered nothing more than attack Howard Packman and....errr ariel ping pong.
Penalties swapped but Saints were again on the attack, searching for another spark when Collins looked most likely to provide one....until Tuilagi decided that a swinging arm wouldn’t be spotted by the touch judge, the referee or the 13000 helpful people in the stands. His ten minutes deserved rest was further compounded when the pack rumbled over from the penalty line out drive, with Harrison emerging from under a pile of bodies having scored.
The roar from the crowd lifted the young guns further - ruthless in their execution, Saints pressed forward again scoring a memorable try that included a moment of real intelligence from Day as Haywood darted over for the score. The lucky socks were winning - this was exhibition stuff, more associated with the Harlem Globetrotters than Saints, and as the half time whistle went, the home side held a deserved 22-13 lead.
The second half started with a bang, and I’m not just talking about the fireworks.
There are three things you are taught when you first start refereeing; safety, equity and law.
(a) Safety – protect the players from serious injury. Tipping a player on his head is dangerous, against the laws of the game and worthy of a yellow card, it is not a finger wagging exercise
(b) Equity – be impartial. Do not allow one side to get away with constant infringements whilst penalising the other for exactly the same event
(c) Law – apply the laws of the game to both sides. See above and a player running in to a fight is also against the laws and a yellow card offence
For 20 minutes referee Jackson failed to observe all three of those simple tasks, he lost control of the game and the plot. I do not like criticising referees, it's a tough job where you need eyes right your head as well the ability to be in four places at the same time. Without a referee you have no game. However, he had a shocking 20 minutes that I hope, on review, he hangs his head in shame.
Falcons came out with all guns blazing using Tuilagi as a battering ram, but the Saints shackles held firm yet again. The ariel ping pong, and one dimensional attack continued until twinkle toes Collins turned on the turbos again and leaving the Falcons trailing in his wake, grabbed Saints fourth try in an impressive performance.
Hooley’s conversion took the score to 29-16 and there was more cheer for the Tetley’s terrace 10 minutes before the end as galloping Tuilagi dropped the ball just shy of the line. That wasn’t the end of it though - Falcons didn’t give up, pressing the Saints defence hard, wave after wave of attack finally splintered the green line and let in Socino to score a try. With Clegg's conversion there were just six points in it to add just a teeny bit of tension to the this enthralling encounter.
But then the lucky socks took charge, a penalty from Hooley took Saints out of range and just to make sure that there was no doubt, a hare-footed Packman raced down the touchline to dive over (flash style) to complete an emphatic win.
Saints potent blend of youth and experience produced an explosive performance that has started the LV Cup campaign in impressive style and with final on our home turf next March, the added incentive can only go to drive them further.
The future's bright, the future's black, green and gold. Come on lucky socks, lets go home.
Saints: Collins; Elliott, Stephenson, Waldouck (Mallinder 59), Packman; Hooley, Hodgson (Fotuali’i 54); E Waller (Hobbs-Awoyemi 57), Haywood (McMillan 65), Denman (Mercey 57); Woolford, C Day; Dowson (c), Harrison (Nutley 52), Fisher.
Newcastle Falcons: Smith (Hammersley 56); Catterick, Barnes, Helleur (Socino 40), Alex Tuilagi; Clegg, Blair (Davies 64); Vickers (Rogers 67), Lawson, Wilson (Tomaszczyk.67); Green, MacLeod (Robinson 59); Temm, Saull (c), Kolo’ofai (Barrow 12).
Referee: Andrew Jackson
Alex King Says:
Tom Collins Says:
Ethan Waller Says:
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