By Chris Gleadell
March 16 2007

Worrying times. After the last round of the Guinness Premiership it is becoming increasingly clear that we are entering a very crucial period for the Saints. The late bonus point at Bath has given us the slenderest of breathing space but with Worcester now coming into some kind of form of their own this season, just like in 04/05, looks like going down to the wire. Once more its time to say goodbye to those fingernails.

After the upturn in form against first Tigers then Gloucester in recent weeks the Saints travelled to Bath with high hopes but did not get a coherent game plan together till the latter stages of the game. Then all of a sudden, for whatever reason, everything clicked into place and two late scores secured a very unlikely losing point.

No doubt, yet again, there will be some long hard thinking at the club this week to fathom out how we can look like down and outs one minute then potential match winners the next.

Unfortunately time is not on our side to ponder that question for too long and action will speak louder than words in the must win game against Sale Sharks at the Gardens on Saturday. The Sharks have problems of their own having lost five on the trot and on paper are there for the taking. They are not helped by calls to national sides which sees Stuart Turner, Magnus Lund, Mark Cueto, Jason Robinson and Sebastien Bruno missing from Saturday’s starting line up. If only the game was ever played on paper though. With Sale in distant danger of getting dragged into the relegation dogfight themselves it will not be easy and with a certain abrasive Mr Chabal dropped by France and now back in the Sale team with something to prove it will be anything but a cakewalk.

The clash between Chabal and Christian Labit could be worth the entrance money alone though and despite last weeks overall performance I’m taking the lads to do the business on Saturday to keep us just one step in front.

WHISTLE BLOWERS

Saturdays referee is Chris White, the centre of a little controversy at the Stadio Flaminio Rome last weekend. Not for the first time there was confusion over timekeeping that may, or indeed may not, have robbed Wales of the chance of a draw, or a win against Italy . At international level it is a farce that needs addressing quickly and the technology is there to do it surely? The referees watch directly linked to the stadiums clocks would leave little room for error and put everyone, especially the players, exactly in the picture as to exactly how much time there is left to play. At the moment it is timekeeping by committee and as with all committee’s sooner or later confusion reigns. You could also argue that adopting the hooter as used in rugby league would be an improvement and once that sounds the game ends at the next stoppage. As for last minute penalties well perhaps the laws of the game need looking at on this too.

Whilst Italy probably overall deserved to win the game on Saturday they did commit an offence which might have stopped a match winning Welsh attack within normal playing time. Now surely the team offended against should have the option to use that penalty as they wish whether the offence happened in the first or last minute. Of course in days gone by I am sure fair minded referees gave a bit of leeway should this happen but that was before technology took over, now their clock hands are tied. Surely a change in the law would be in the interest of the game because currently it can reward the offender and surely for reasons of fairness that is not quite right. If a team are four, five or six points in front and time is up you are almost duty bound to kill the ball by any means possible to win the game. The laws of the game would not even enter your mind knowing that victory could be gained by offence however you would think twice if you knew that by offending the opposition would get one more potential seven point bite of the cherry. A rethink needed maybe.

This weekend though I am sure Mr White will a trouble free enjoyable day out at the Gardens.

In fact if he was anywhere on the planet I am sure it would be better than spending the day at home because as the media over Offas Dyke so gleefully reported this week Mr Whites wife Lynne is Welsh whilst his three children are named Deri, Rhiannon and Sian. He cannot have had an easy week.

6N

Saturday also see the culmination of this seasons Six Nations with three back to back games over the afternoon. On the face of it Ireland and France fight it out to top the pile with England having to play the game of their lives to even be in contention. Suprisingly Italy go into the last game with a chance of a top three finish and finally the game seems to be getting more national coverage and interest in the country.

Scotland and Wales , who have gone from heroes to potential zeroes in just two seasons, dispute the wooden spoon. As a whole though there has been no outstanding side in this years tournament and there has been no strong vein of form to suggest who might be contenders come Rugby World Cup time in September. I think the only thing you can be sure of after this years Six Nations is that Messrs Henry, Hansen and Smith will be sleeping a lot easier in their beds in New Zealand .

SSC

The Saints Supporters Club will be running coaches to Bristol, on Sunday 25th March, they will be leaving Franklin’s Gardens at 10am.The prices are:Adults: £14 Children/Students/OAPs: £9 To book places on the Supporters Club coaches, please call 01604 751742, with your name, telephone number and the number of seats.