Thanks to a fantastic decision by the bored (sic) room boys at Twickers Saints travel to Oxford to play London Irish in the semi final of the Powergen Cup. More fat fingers in the pie means a 2pm kick off with the game live on Sunday Grandstand. Awaiting the victors is a return to Twickenham to face either Gloucester or Leicester who play at a proper rugby ground on Saturday.


This is the tie that Saints probably wanted least of all. The whooping they received from Irish in last years final still holds painful memories and this is now compounded by the league defeat at Franklin's Gardens in January. It seems the exiles have the measure of Wayne Smith's team and it will take a Herculean performance to turn the tide. Irish on the other hand have rather predictably taken the moral high ground by declaring themselves the underdogs to the 14 internationals of Northampton.

Perhaps the only certainty to this tie is a good time will be had by all the supporters. The Irish love their craic and I've heard tell that the boys from Jimmies End like a drink too! So perhaps the real contest on Sunday is the bewigged masses versus the great unwashed.

Route to the Semi's:
Orrell 44 Saints 55
Bath 29 Saints 30

Newcastle Falcons 16 London Irish 17
London Irish 30 Rotherham 11

Team News
The news from the Saints is not good! Ben Cohen, Andy Blowers and Jon Sleightholme will definitely miss the game through injury. Wayne Smith has announced a squad as he won't finalise his 22 until Saturday due to late fitness tests. Most of us will treat this news with dread as it probably concerns Matt Dawson. Steve Williams is included in the squad despite reports he'd be required for the Welsh training sessions. There are also rumours that the Irish announced squad is likely to change. So watch this space....


Team Announcements so far...


Saints
Backs:
NICK BEAL, BRUCE REIHANA, ORIOL RIPOL, PETER JORGENSEN, Chris Hyndman, JOHN LESLIE, Mark Tucker, PAUL GRAYSON, James Brooks, MATT DAWSON, Ian Vass, Johnny Howard.

Forwards:
TOM SMITH, ROBBIE MORRIS, Brett Sturgess, Chris Budgen, STEVE THOMPSON, Dan Richmond, Matt Lord, STEVE WILLIAMS, MARK CONNORS, Rob Hunter, Jon Phillips, BUDGE POUNTNEY, Darren Fox, Grant Seely, Mark Soden.

London Irish
15. Mark Mapletoft*; 14. Paul Sackey; 13. Nick Burrows; 12. Brendan Venter*; 11. Michael Horak*; 10. Barry Everitt; 9. Hentie Martens; 1. Mike Worsley; 2. Naka Drotske*; 3. Rob Hardwick*; 4. Bob Casey*; 5. Nick Kennedy; 6. Paul Gustard (Captain); 7. Kieron Dawson*; 8.Chris Sheasby*.

Replacements:

16. Kevin Barrett; 17. Geoff Appleford*; 18. Declan Danaher; 19. Adrian Flavin; 20. Glenn Delaney; 21. Neal Hatley; 22. Simon Halford.
*Denotes International

History
Normally we do a section saying the teams first met in 47BC with a narrow victory for Saints 3-0 which was actually four tries as they were only 3/4's of a point each in the early days. We'd also refer to the Irish having some small lad called David in the side who was quite handy with a sling but went off injured before getting his chance to slay the Midlands Giants. Then we'd go on to say how the sides didn't meet again for 2000 years until the John Player Cup (yeah right as if they'd let a cigarette company sponsor a sporting event!) However I think you lot know the history between Saints and Irish backwards so it's perhaps less important to include this bit. So instead of the usual drivel I've included the teams performance in the cup over the last decade.

Saints	Irish
01/02 Runners up 00/01 Quarter final 99/00 Runners up 98/99 Fifth round 97/98 Semi-final 96/97 - 95/96 4th round 94/95 - 93/94 5th round 92/93 - 91/92 4th round 90/91 Runners up	01/02 Winners 00/01 Quarter final 99/00 Semi-final 98/99 Runners up 97/98 Quarter final 96/97 5th round 95/96 4th round 94/95 5th round 93/94 5th round 92/93 3rd round 91/92 3rd round 90/91 -

Last Season

Well that just says it all about Saints/Irish encounters. Northampton were absolutely walloped by the exiles at the Madjetski and then the Saints got their own back at FG. The game at the Gardens marked the beginning of the supposed ill blood between the players with player Coach Brendan Venter accusing Wayne Smith's side of deliberate foul play. Then the cup final where Saints failed to turn up and Irish outplayed them in every department. The stupidity between the teams continued as Venter employed his swinging arm style of tackling to daze his arch enemy Matt Dawson. Lets hope both sides concentrate on playing good rugby this Sunday. In a meaningless game at the end of the season Saints beat a depleted London Irish side at the madjet. The side Irish fielded that day says a lot about the popularity of the end of season championship.

Links to last season's match reports:
The Cup Final
Irish 48 Saints12
Saints 24 Irish 15
Irish 14 Saints 38

If you're going to the Game...

Check out Oxon Rob's Kassam Guide


and if you're travelling by car try Smurf's directions:
Go south from Northampton on A43, M40 Junctions 10 to 9, A34 round Oxford, through 50mph speed limit at Botley. Just after the speed limit (less than a mile) turn off sign posted A4074 Reading. Left at the next two roundabouts (the two in the red box on the picture linked below) and park in the Redbridge car park. Park and Ride from there 11.20 onwards - 10 minute run to the ground. Buses back from 10 minutes after full time.

Should take about an hour to get there, going on my experience of driving that road every time I come back from a Saints game.

If you can't make it...

There's live coverage on BBC's Sunday Grandstand commentary on BBC Radio Northampton or live on the Internet via the Official site.
Live audio link