Northampton Saints 24 Bath Rugby 21

Once again Bath came up to the wonders of a stadium with seats that go up and down, and has, wait for it, an actual roof which stops you from getting wet. You wonder why so many of them don't come up to the FG. Oh yeah, they always lose! All 52 of them looked about as pleased as Morrissey on his stag do, to be honest, you really can't blame them. Fair play to them mind, they clapped their boys off after a tremendous second half effort, lead my Michael Lipman, Olly Barkely and Eli Fuimando? fuimanpolo? fui, sorry i cant seem to get this right, hang on F-u-i-m-a-n-o-n-o. There, that got it, which can obviously be translated from Samoan to English as Eli willrunitfromanywherewithoutacareintheworld! But lets face it, how would you get that on the back of your shirt?

Today was no exception of course as Saints did the double on the weary west country warriors who had given so much last week to nobble our co-nemises. (look it up, I did, I'm so clever I sweat knowledge! I mean the Tigers by the way if you're a tad baffled) Saints again turned cup sorrow into league joy and confirm their mid table position whilst moving to within

2 points of 'TOASTERS!' and surely must be putting the willies up the Tiggs in the battle for the coveted European cup spots.

Yep, today we saw the Saints pack stand up, you can normally tell when this is about to happen, if Wally and Dan Browne have hit a collective number of rucks higher than 10 inside the first 20 minutes then the game faces are well and truly on. The other real Saints were also in the stands, encouraging their boys, proudly and stoically, with constant noise and instant praise for all.

Whilst Bath could be forgiven for having their sights firmly set on their future entanglement in San Sebastian but one can only imagine that no team in the modern professional era would be daft enough or arrogant enough to put all their eggs in such an awkward and uncomfortable basket. However the clubs future now seems assured as the hoodoo team to end all hoodoo teams look pretty much set to stumble in the darkness and plummet through the trapdoor. Yes, Leeds' future looks as bleak as a trip to Blackburn with Jack Straw and Robbie Savage showing you around all of the delightful pie shops and off licences it has to offer. Mmm, Condaliza Rice, does she have a face like a slapped backside all the time then? yes, apparently so....

With Pressure off a little for Bath they came to play, and play they did.

Bath had made quite a few changes to the personnel who had rocked the crisp bowl last week and it seemed to effect their continuity upfront as the Saints were able to contain and occasionally push around one of the premier packs doing the rounds in Europe. Saints took time to get going but once they did, the went for the jugular like lions on a gazelle.

So to the game,

An early attempt to put the Bath danders up was fortunately scuppered by one Ben Cohen, who apparently, can't tackle, pass, kick, catch or score in a house of ill repute. (NOT THAT IM SAYING BEN IS THE KIND OF GUY WHO VISITS THOSE PLACES, though why you would want to practise your kicking skills in one is quite beyond me) After driving into the Saints 22 Bath found themselves central and underneath the posts. Utilizing both Malone and Barkley as stand off halves, Bath split their lines of attack and attempted to confound the saints defensive line as to exactly where the ball was headed. Andy Williams fired a flat pass into Barkleys Breadbasket who promptly flew right towards the corner flag and the distinct possibility of putting in his chum Andy Higgins, who is known for making some rather ripsnorting last gasp try-saving tackles himself, fortunately the Saints foremost exponent of try-saving majesty was on hand to save the day, Ben swooped in like a dog on heat and blasted Higgins into the corner flag.

Phew,

As wake up calls go that was pretty good one and the Saints forwards decided that any kind of ball, so long as it was in their possession would be just the fillip needed to get the backs going and show Barkley and co exactly what kind of skill and talent they possess. From a lineout just outside Bath's half, Lordy, under great pressure from the walking talking set of knees and elbows that is Danny Grewcock, plopped the ball down just behind Sharky Robinson, who turned on a sixpence and spotted a gap which was as tight a dolphins thingy (watertight).

Not that such a thing would stop Sharky of course as he galloped through and made some Bath tight forwards look rather foolish in the process. Off Sharky did run, past the 40 and deep into Bath territory where he duly found Jon Clarke on hand to press for the corner, eventually being tackled by Higgins. With the try line in his sights Clarkie tried to offload to the waiting Bruce and Ben, either of whom could of easily saunter under the posts had the ball not trickled forward out of the tackle. A great chance gone begging but a clear indication to Bath that Saints were more than capable of making something rather good out of possession most teams would simply have booted back down the field.

The game was rather loose now but certainly free flowing, with both teams playing enterprising and entertaining rugby the 13,454 who were on hand and enjoying their day out. Bath pressed hard down the short side of the pitch just off of the 40 meter line and conjured up an overlap for 'Captain Treetrunks' Salesi Finau but thanks to Sean Lamont's brave and rather bold tackle (Monty appeared to go head first into the big Tongan's family jewels, if that's not brave I dunno what is) saved the Saintly bacon from the slicer as he plopped the big fella into touch.

This did not dishearten Bath as again they plugged away and Michael Lipman found the front of a ruck completely unmarked so he jumped over the Beechers brook of Borthwick, Barnard and Browne and ambled down the pitch with all the freedom of a man given the key to the city. Fortunately the cover tackle of "BRUCE!" Reihana was able to stop Lipman from making complete 'raspberry fools lined up in cagoules who had forgotten their tools' of the Northampton forward line, who had offered Baths rampaging openside a gap, a cup of tea, a sticky bun, a night out with their youngest and prettiest sister, basically anything he wanted.

But the jig was up, Bath were in behind and with quick ball able to outwit and outplay the Saints cover defence that even when Peter Dixon found himself in two minds as to whether he should stop and adjust his ill-fitting scrumcap or simply ship it on to the treetrunked monster to go over in the corner.

Twenty minutes in, Five nil to Bath and to be truly honest it was well deserved.

With the conversion missed Northampton went straight back on the attack, with Sam Harding leading the way with a splendid run deep into Bath territory. As he looked to play in the mighty Toops, Treetrunks was somehow able to get one of his leafy branches in the way and batter both Toops and the ball back up field with a hit so hard it would have made Mike Tyson cry.

This development left the Jimmie's back line even more determined to make their mark and what a mark it was.

I consider myself very lucky to have been on hand to watch some beautiful and wonderful stuff this season from the delectable skills that the Saints Kiwi contingent have had to offer, the two tries against Sarries away were some of the finest interplay I've every witnessed, some of the awesome play put in against Sarries at home, at Kingsholme and the Causeway, but Bruce's first try simply took everyone's breath away.

Now, if you could all hum 'Take my breath away ' by Berlin whilst you read as i try to describe the awesomeness that followed, a-one two three four....

From a lineout on the half way line Dan Browne was able to get the jump on Gareth Delve as he plucked a beautiful throw from Wally out of the air raising like a dolphin from the pool to gather sardines into his piehole.

Quick as a flash he patted the ball down to Sharky who spat a furious fireball of a flat pass to Los who flew inside and outside of the awestruck Higgins and Crockett who stopped what they were doing and started to applaud the masterful incision of the lord and master known as Los. Pulsating down the wing like a formula one car, Los left the best 'til last, with a deft inside touch finding his partner in crime 'BRUCE!' who had picked up the running line of all running lines. The ball was delicately passed underarm to the skipper who needed only to catch the simplest of passes and cruise over the line in 3rd gear.

And the walls came tumbling down....

Franklin's erupted like never before, grown men soiled themselves, newborn babies said their first words (It was 'BRUCE!' of course), octogenarian supporters asked their care nurses to assist them in suicide for now they could die happy. It was as if everyone had just backed the winning nag in the Grand National, Champagne! Champagne for everyone! Drink! Drink so that we may tell the tale of the greatest double act since Morecambe and Wise! Los and Bruce, a gift from god himself, born in New Zealand, loved in Northampton.

OK, that's enough of the love in. It was great, what was greater still was how Bath came back from it.

7-5 to the Saintly ones after 26 minutes gone. The Jimmies were clicking, flicking, picking and tricking. We looked good, real good, like Keira Knightley in her nighty good. Saints were awarded a penalty from referee Rose, apparently conceded by Bath for not playing as well as Northampton. They're a fickle lot aren't they refs? 'BRUCE!' stepped up and missed what seemed the simplest of kicks by his own standards. Fortunately Sammy Harding was on hand alongside his back-row Kiwi brethren to chase the kick and pressurize Bath into giving Saints a scrum on the 22 and in the most precarious of situations.

From the resulting put in Los spread the ball wide and into the waiting arms of Ben Cohen who dived over the white wash for the simplest and smartest moves of the day. Brilliantly and professionally executed. While 'BRUCE!' pinged over the peachiest of conversions, Bath were hanging on by a thread.

One more score before half time and they would surely have buckled. Despite the Jimmies best efforts and further attempts to break though and over the Bath line, Borthwick's troops held firm and were able to go into the half-time break still in touch with the Saints, 14 points to the good.

I dunno what kind of supplements Brian Ashton has his boys on but by 'eck did they kick in! Bath wern't bad in the first half but with the switch of Olly Barkley to flyhalf and the introduction of Eli F-u-i-m-a-n-o-n-o, Santa Maria were they good!!!

Bath flew out of the blocks like Asafa Powell on 2 grams of speed. They were after us and they did not stop. Rampaging down into the Northampton 22 Barkley found himself with what appeared to be a nice fat juicy overlap, Clarkie however was so offside they could have tapped Barkley on the shoulder and asked for an inside pass. Referee Rose peeped on his whistle as the straying Clarkie looked for the intercept. Luckily for Saints it was just a ticking off and not a yellow or 7 which Rosey would have been well within his right to award.

Barkley stepped up and plonked over the simplest of kicks as all and sundry remembered the previous encounter of the two teams. (As you may or may not recall, Barkley, who had been struggling greatly with the new kicking style developed by kicking guru Dave Aldred, set up to kick over the most rudimentary of penalty conversions, only for the ball to travel about 6 meters along the turf as his boot came into contact with the ball.) The poor lad has now however reverted to the original stance he developed with help from a MR P Grayson of Northampton. Ping went the ball over the sticks and Bath had gotten the all important opening score of the 2nd stanza.

From the kick off Bath showed they were bossing the game and within a minute or so were awarded another penalty which a quick as a Scotsman's wallet Andy Williams tapped and burst through the Saints line to put Baths full back Joe Maddock over, as simple as ABC, unless youre dsyleckick, dsyenlenkick, oh you know what I mean ! Barkely adds the formalities and Bath take the lead for the second time. 14-15 to Bath, the game is well and truly on.

Saints supporters know what to expect these days mind you, and within seconds of the kick off the fire and brimstone of the Kiwi back-row combo came good once again. Dan Browne, some say the biggest centre/number 8 to ever play at FG, was clearly auditioning for dancing like a Muppet on ice or whatever the programme is called, as he executed a perfect triple salco out of tackles and marauded his way up field and deep into Bath territory like a a young scamp running away from Woolworth s, chased by security guards with all the pick and mix his pockets will carry. Eventually Browne was tackled as he suddenly caught a bout of the 'Matt Perrys' who has developed a disease where by he cannot, or will not, pass regardless of the size of the overlap. With Quick ruck ball being the order of the day, the ball squirted out to 'BRUCE!' who went over for his second score of the game. A lovely try all-round, a shame about the conversion.

The score tipped the other way once again, 19-15 to the Saints but there was still plenty of time for this roller coaster to get bumpy....

Sure enough almost directly from the kick off Bath were given a penalty, which Barkley put over. After a spurt of subs coming off and on the game began to settle again as Bath once more powered down field and gained the joyous sound of Rose's peep box. Barkley did the honours once again and once more the score changed hands like a hot potato which had been burnt to a crisp on the devils own barbecue.

19 points to 21 in favour of Bath, once again the Saints required a bit of gumption and determination, which are not in short supply from the bench these days as Dan Richmond, Mark Easter, Ben Lewitt and Chris Budgen all showed in spades as all 4 made an impact to encourage the pack to physically stand up to Bath's bullyboy approach which had dominated 30 minutes of the 2nd half.

The Saints seemed to revert to type for a few minutes keeping the ball in the forwards, wearing down Bath's pack and fishing for a penalty or two as the tight game was drawing to a close.

Matching Bath for power at the edges of the breakdown may not make you many friends but in a game as close as this, at the business end of the season, results are more important. The forwards went about doing it the best way they know how, hard yards and taking the fight to the opposition, the responsibility of looking after the pill in the final moments of the game and helping the Saints to control the tempo and the field position.

Driving on and on and deeper into Bath territory the powerhouses did the business and created an opportunity for young Mark Easter, a shining star of Northampton's future to blast over the line through the tackles of Crockett and Maddock. For Bath it seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back. Los missed the conversion and left Bath with a sniff, the score with 5 minutes left was 24-21. Saints were in charge, were in possession of the ball and the bonus point ,the spring in the step was back in the team and Los and the boys were by no means finished.

Running the ball out Ben Cohen gathered the ball from Spencer on the edge of his own 22 and made one his trademark bullocking runs up field where he eventually found 'BRUCE!' who also had his sights set on a grandstand finish flung a delightful dipping pass to the supporting Spencer who used a trick from Houdini's diary (Los is the only one with skills to get it open you see? wink wink) to somehow mystify everyone and get a pass away to Sam Harding who looked nailed on to score until somehow, almost as mystifying as Los' pass, Nick Abendendon ( I think, I freely admit i may be wrong, it was miles away for me) made a tackle of awesome proportions. It was comfortably as good as 'that' tackle made by little George Gregan on medium sized Jeff Wilson way back in 1994.

From there the Saints again tried hard to cross the whitewash but Bath once again held firm and even pushed up field to try and salvage more than just a losing bonus point but as they found a blindside understaffed and beckoning the ball was knocked on and it was not to be.

Rosey blew his peepbox once more and the game drew to a dramatic close.

All credit to Bath who have come a long way in a short time under Ashton. It's understandable why England seem to be sniffing round the Lancastrian legend once more, having encouraged and nurtured skill and ambition back into a back-line which seemed to have had it coached out of them by the previous management team.

All in all a great days entertainment offered up by both teams and ref, who whilst making one or two rather strange decisions did his damnedest to keep the game flowing. Saints face Tigers on Good Friday with every chance of causing what some rugby folk outside the club might see as a shock. But as those who have seen this team grow as the season has progressed will know, they are damned sight better team than the one that got their 'arris handed to them on the opening day. Fair play to the management team also as they seem to have developed the team with honesty and integrity. By keeping the players honest they've put in more and more performances which have brought the club the spoils they deserve. With 3 games left and all of them winnable we may just surprise a few folks yet...

Teams:

Northampton Saints –

Reihana (co-capt);

Lamont,

Clarke,

Quinlan,

Cohen;

Spencer,

Robinson;

Smith,

Thompson (co-capt)(Richmond 69mins),

Barnard (Budgen 60mins),

Damien Browne,

Lord,

Tupai (Lewitt 60mins),

Harding, Daniel Browne (Easter 69mins).

Bath –

Maddock (Abendanon 72mins);

Finau,

Crocket,

Barkley,

Higgins;

Malone (Fuimaono-Sapolu 40mins),

Williams;

Flatman (Bell 50mins),

Dixon (Mears 60mins),

Filise,

Borthwick (capt),

Grewcock,

Short,

Lipman (Feaunati 69mins),

Delve.

Scorers:

Northampton Saints – Tries: Reihana (2), Cohen, Easter; Cons: Reihana (2).

Bath – Tries: Finau, Maddock; Pens: Barkley (2).

Attendance: 13,454

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