By Maverick
January 16 2005

After a first-half of playing a distinct second fiddle to Glasgow Warriors, Northampton Saints upped their game after the break to secure qualification for the Quarter Finals of the Heineken European Cup.

Super Second-half Secures Saints' Success

 

After a first-half of playing a distinct second fiddle to Glasgow Warriors, Northampton Saints upped their game after the break to secure qualification for the Quarter Finals of the Heineken European Cup.

 

Before the game, the papers and pundits had largely predicted that a Northampton win was inevitable, the only area for discussion being the margin of the victory. A victory and four tries were needed to secure qualification and boy did Saints make hard work of it in the first half. Indeed, for the first forty minutes Glasgow seemed determined to prove everybody wrong and threatened an unlikely away win. They piled on the pressure from the first whistle and could have scored as early as the fourth minute when prop Kevin Tkachuk crossed the line but was held up in the tackle. Glasgow continued to dominate for much of the first quarter enjoying, I would guess, about 70 per cent of the possession. Saints were struggling to establish any forward momentum and it wasn't until the sixteenth minute that they really threatened the Warriors line. A break from Andy Blowers fed John Rudd who was caught five metres out. He re-cycled to AB who was turned as he crossed the line and was unable to ground the ball. Twenty minutes gone then, still no score, the crowd subdued and watchful.

 

Having started so slowly, Saints were beginning to enjoy greater possession and territory as the half continued. However, it was Glasgow who scored first. Dan Parks stepped up to open the visitors' account after Saints had been caught offside. Saints 0 - 3 Glasgow. Saints hit back almost immediately. Paul Grayson spurned the chance to level the scores when Glasgow infringed and he kicked for the corner. A secure take at the line-out and a sweet move across the pitch left Bruce Reihana with the ball 10 yards from the try-line. Despite the efforts of three defenders who hung on in desperation, Bruce surged over the line to give Saints the lead. Grayson's conversion attempt bounced back off the post but things were looking up. Half an hour gone and the first try in the bag, time for Saints to ease away and dominate. Glasgow had other ideas. First Sean Lamont, who proved a nuisance all evening, surged up field through a non-existent defense and Saints were again on the back foot, conceding a penalty, which Parks converted.

 

And then the horror show. With the clock ticking down the last a couple of minutes of the first half, Saints pressed forward attempting a morale boosting score before half time. John Rudd took the ball into the Glasgow 22 but as he looked to off-load, that fella Lamont was on hand to intercept and sprint a full 80 yards unopposed to score. With the conversion good it left the half-time score, Saint 5 -13 Glasgow and much to ponder at the break.

 

So, what was said in the changing room in the interval? Did Budge rant and rave at his squad or was it a quiet word, emphasising the basics and ensuring the Saints returned to the fray focused on the job in hand? Whichever way the team talk went, it certainly worked!

 

Budge made three changes at half time and these proved pivotal in the side’s eventual success. Shane Drahm replaced a struggling Grayson and the backs began getting better ball. Tom Smith returned from injury at prop and Damien Browne joined the fray at lock - the industrious Brett Sturgess and the tireless Matt Lord having done their bit for the cause in the first 40.

 

Almost immediately Saints lay down their markers for the rest of the game. From a 5 metre scrum the ball was thrown wide to Ben Cohen in space and the England winger swan-dived over from about 10 metres out. Shane converted to bring Saints back to within a point. Two tries in the bag and GAME ON!

 

Shortly after, Shane had a pop at goal to try and restore the lead but it went wide. No matter. Soon Saints were back, camped on the Warriors try-line. On 53 minutes, Mark Soden peeled off the scrum to power over for the third try and, with the conversion again good, Saints had a 6 point lead and twenty-five minutes to get the all important fourth score.

 

And eventually it came. Parks had reduced the Warriors’ arrears on 61 minutes with a well taken penalty from half way but it was all Saints pressure. On 69 minutes a sniping break from the assured Johnny Howard was curtailed by a high tackle and from the penalty Saints had a line-out deep inside the Glasgow half. What followed was a little scrappy but Saints had the put-in at a scrum after a knock-on from the visitors. The ball was thrown wide to Bruce who arrowed through the gap and dived over. “MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU”, shouted the scoreboard and Saints were 10 points up, four tries in the swag bag and just ten minutes to play.

 

At this point can I just say, credit to the touch-judge on the Tetleys Stand side. Glasgow had moved the ball up field and had a set play over by the Church’s Stand. As we waited for play to restart a wag in the crowd called out, “Oi! touch-judge! Can you shift across a bit? We can’t see for the floodlights shining off your bald patch!” What a good sport he was. We watched as the shoulders started to shake with laughter and he joined in the general amusement by turning round and giving us all a sheepish smile. Good work, Sir!

 

Sorry, I digress and now give you the coup de grace. 78 minutes are on the clock (sound familiar?) and Glasgow are pressing for a consolation score. A pass along the back line goes astray and who has the ball? Yup, Captain Fantastic himself, Steve Thompson. Only 70 yards to the try-line but that was no big deal to the Saints skipper as he broke through and hurtled across the turf, defying the efforts of Kenny Logan to halt his charge. Delirium broke out in the stands! He’s done it again! I’m sorry, dear reader, I just could not stop laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all. Please don’t get me wrong, it was a magnificent piece of play and Wally had it all still to do when he picked up the ball. But, two weeks running? Aren’t there laws against that sort of thing? 

 

The game was won and Saints were through. Graeme Beveridge scored for Warriors in the dying minutes but it was academic.

 

Final Score: NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 33 – 23 GLASGOW WARRIORS

 

Saints are now just three games away from emulating the heroes of 27^th May 2000. I agree that it’s unlikely but isn’t that what dreams are for? We now face a probable return trip to Toulouse in the last eight or possibly a trip to Paris  to face Stade Francais. It goes without saying that either tie would be a daunting task. However, who during the darkest days of the Solomons’ era would have thought we would even be in this position? Indeed as I finish this piece, London Wasps have succumbed to Biarritz and Leicester’s Cup ambitions hang by a thread. We have no such worries. We are through.

 

Let’s just dream a little longer, eh?