New Years Day Clash at the Gardens


By Simon Robinson (Smurfomatic)
December 30 2004

Saints go into the New Year on the back of three wins out of four, the loss being in Toulouse on December 11th.

Coaches Pountney and Grayson named the same team which sneaked past the Irish at the Madejski on Monday, but are awaiting fitness reports on Blowers, Lord and Robinson. If they pass, AB and Matt Lord will come into the equation, if Robinson fails, a first Premiership start is on the cards for Ben Jones.  There is no place in the squad for Darren Fox, whose eight week ban for headbutting expired at midnight after Monday's match:

 

15 BRUCE REIHANA

14 John Rudd

13 BEN COHEN

12 Marc Stcherbina

11 Wylie Human

10 PAUL GRAYSON

9 MARK ROBINSON

1 Simon Emms

2 STEVE THOMPSON (capt)

3 ROBBIE MORRIS

4 Grant_Seely

5 Damien Browne

6 ROSS BEATTIE

7 CORNE KRIGE

8 Mark Soden

 

16 Dan Richmond

17 Brett Sturgess

18 Ed O’Donoghue

19 Brett McNamee

20 Ben Jones

21 Shane Drahm

22 Neil Starling

 

As yet (Wednesday afternoon) no team has been announced by Leeds, whose narrow 11 - 15

loss to Newcastle was watched by a record 14,293 at Headingley - nearly doubling the previous highest gate of 7,467.

 

Saints confidence will be sky high after the victory on Monday, BUT - Leeds will be no pushover. A victory for either team would see them climbing further away from the wrong end of the table, so a close fought contest could be on the cards. The teams will meet again in three weeks, again at Franklins Gardens, for the quarter finals of the Powergen Cup.

 

Zurich Premiership head-to-head stats

Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership:

Played 7

Northampton Saints Won 5 - 71.4%

Leeds Tykes Won 2  - 28.6%

Drawn 0 0%

Biggest Win for Northampton Saints 48 - 24 22 Nov 2003 Biggest Win for Leeds Tykes 26 - 19 17 Nov 2002 Northampton Saints top try scorer vs Leeds Tykes Ben Cohen 3 tries

Northampton Saints top points scorer vs Leeds Tykes Paul Grayson 61 points

Leeds Tykes top try scorer vs Northampton Saints Dan Scarbrough 4 tries

Leeds Tykes top points scorer vs Northampton Saints Gordon Ross 30 points

Previous Meetings

05 Nov 2004 ZP Northampton Saints vs Leeds Tykes 21 - 26 Headingley

02 May 2004 ZP Northampton Saints vs Leeds Tykes 31 - 15 Headingley

22 Nov 2003 ZP Northampton Saints vs Leeds Tykes 48 - 24 Franklin's Gardens 10 May 2003 ZP Northampton Saints vs Leeds Tykes 28 - 6 Franklin's Gardens

17 Nov 2002 ZP Northampton Saints vs Leeds Tykes 19 - 26 Headingley

16 Mar 2002 ZP Northampton Saints vs Leeds Tykes 34 - 14 Franklin's Gardens

16 Sep 2001 ZP Northampton Saints vs Leeds Tykes 26 - 6 Headingley

The Saints ended their three match barren run in the Zurich Premiership with victory in the most exciting of finishes at the Madejski Stadium on Monday. Northampton will be now anxious to end their five match losing run in the Premiership at Franklin’s Gardens.

The Tykes last victory in the Premiership was 26-21 against Northampton at Headingley on 5 November. Leeds’ last win away from home in the Premiership came at London Irish on 16 October.

Leeds have beaten Northampton just twice in seven previous encounters in the competition and have not won in all four previous visits to Franklin’s Gardens in all competitions.

Courtesy Zurich Rugby Press Centre

 

Bookmark or share this story with: