By Stockers in the Archives
April 26 2002

The Pilkington Cup Final against the Mighty Quins. Twickenham, pre the redevelopment being finished. We were in the old wooden East stand on a bright sunny Saturday in May. We travelled down from North Bucks with GB&G streamers and flags flying from the car all the way to Twickenham. A picnic, a few sherberts and then into the ground.

The game...nip and tuck until the point where Pete Moss broke through the Quins defence to touch down and give us a slender lead which we sadly relinquished late in the second half. It was a draw at full time. Extra time, and Quins seemed to be just that bit fitter, scoring readily to put us into the depths of despair as the Cup slipped from our reach.

Saints first ever Twickenham final, after a tumultuous season, which had seen us go from Orrell's whipping boys at 60-0 in the league to be their conquerors in the semi final which everyone said we would lose. Pah! But, in the final, we were without the inspiration of Buck Shelford who had lead us so well and turned our season around, going home to New Zealand in a forlorn attempt to regain his All Blacks place.

There were great moments for us in that Final defeat though. Ian Hunter's attacks from deep, for example. I still have a photo of Ian from the Independent, evading the tackles of Harriman and Halliday with one of his audacious side stepping, swerving runs that were so memorable when he was in his majestic form. If ever a career was so cruelly ruined by injury, Ian's must be up there at the top of the list of "what might have been."

Peter Moss's try, from a player who seemed incapable sometimes of fighting the demons within, was an unexpected but of course hugely welcome flash of brilliance from the journeyman centre. Richard Nancekivell, our Cornish scrum half, who was right on top of his game at that time and whose form was too good for Dave Elkington, returning from injury, to get back into the starting line up.

And the back row! Young Rodders on the brink of international fame, ably supported by those two loyal and dogged servants of the Saints, Phil Pask and Paul Alston, both the nicest guys you could meet but hard as nails and wholly determined.

We came away from Twickenham that bright spring day hugely disappointed at coming so close to victory against the Cup maestros, the star studded Quins who, at that time anyway, were almost dead certs for the Cup. But we came away full of pride. Pride in our team, in what they had achieved that season and since they had been promoted from Division 2. In how they had conducted themselves that day in defeat. Pride in the Saints community and the 17,000 fans who had made the trip to support the boys and that at a time when there were probably less than 1000 season ticket holders.

And that pride continues to this day. We don't take appearances at Twickenham for granted. We don't expect victory but we know that the team and the loyal supporters have to work hard to achieve it. As we did against Munster. And as we will have to do against London Irish if we are to become victorious.

May the best team win. Let it be The Saints!