By Maverick
March 27 2005

Northampton Saints eased their relegation worries this Saturday afternoon with a dramatic score deep in second half injury time. With the last kick of the match fly-half Shane Drahm kept his nerve to convert Mark Tucker’s last gasp try and sent the Franklin’s Gardens faithful into ecstasy.

Truth be told however, this was a welcome moment of quality in a dour game. If the two sides had been playing Monopoly then Saints would not have progressed much past Old Kent Road whilst Harlequins may just have reached King’s Cross Station. The difference in the two sides was that Saints had held back their “Get Out of Jail Free” card and played it at the death.

 

The bright morning Northamptonshire sunshine had given way to grey skies in the hour before the game and, with light rain falling at kick-off, the home supporters’ optimism soon gave way to that all too familiar feeling of nervousness and tension. Harlequins started strongly and were the first to get on the board. Just three minutes on the clock at Arwel Thomas kicked the three points after the home team had pulled down a maul. The penalty count against Saints was to be a worry all afternoon. Equality was restored just moments later as Drahm’s boot levelled the scores. Indeed at this point early in the game Saints were playing all the rugby and came close getting the first try. More good work from the fly-half left fellow Australian Marc Schterbina through but he over-cooked his kick forward and the ball went dead.

 

Quins defence was solid for the whole game and they continually thwarted the home team’s efforts to make a decisive breakthrough. The two sides had traded penalties when Thomas turned villain for the visitors. Saints had kicked for the corner after a penalty for offside in midfield and the line-out was secure. Matt Lord had gathered in forwards around him and had started his trademark “Wookie Bounce” as Saints inched upfield. Andrew Blowers took the play on but Thomas intervened by killing the ball and got a ten minutes rest for his troubles. It would not be the only rest that Master Thomas availed himself of in this game (more later) however this one meant a trip to the stands.

 

A man to the good and Saints should have piled on the pressure to make the most of their advantage. Instead they allowed Harlequins to camp out in home territory, play all the rugby, and with 37 minutes on the clock score the try they deserved. Saints had defended well and had actually gained turnover ball but, rather than kick it into Row Z of the Churches Stand, they tried to play their way out of trouble. Possession was lost and it was a simple task for George Harder to dot the ball down. A successful conversion followed from the returning Thomas and a subdued Franklin’s Gardens were met with a halftime score of 9-13 to Quins, a score which their play had thoroughly merited.

 

The re-start saw Tom Smith on the park for Robbie Morris and Saints immediately pressed forward deep into the opposition 22. Again frustration loomed large. Patient work through the phases was lost for the lack of a killer pass or run and again the move broke down. To their credit Saints were trying to play at pace but they were hampered by poor distribution. Scrum-half Johnny Howard’s service to Drahm was way below what he is capable of and as a result Drahm was struggling to get the backs moving. The extra time needed to collect the ball from his knee-caps or above his head was enough for the Harlequins’ back three to be up in his face and prevent snappy delivery to those outside him.

 

Handling errors and a lack of decision making were the bane of Saints’ game all afternoon. This was typified when a loose pass from Schterbina was intercepted by that man Thomas. He sprinted off towards the Saints line 60 yards away but Mark Tucker chased him down and last man John Rudd also had him covered. Rather than make the tackle however each defender left the duty to the other and Thomas waltzed through to score. Another conversion and Saints were suddenly 11 points adrift with half an hour to play. From what we had seen in the previous 50 minutes or so, Quins were going to take home the points. Would Sir like them gift-wrapped?

 

The introduction of club captain Steve Thompson seemed to give Saints a new impetus. Drahm slotted another penalty after good work from Matt Lord to bring them back within eight but still the errors came. First John Rudd went close in the right corner but failed to touch down and another glorious opportunity was spurned when Bruce made all the hard yards but found no one in support.

 

The crowd were getting more and more exasperated with time running out. Their mood wasn’t helped by the blatant time wasting by the visiting team. If a player is down injured then fair enough. It is a brutal sport played at the edge and player safety must be paramount. However, to hold up play for a bootlace or to call on the trainer for a chat about the post-match meal (that is the only thing I can think of because the physio certainly never treated the player in question) is just cynical. And that is what Harlequins did at every breakdown in play. Ultimately it cost them the match.

 

With the stadium clock showing second half normal time complete, Drahm stepped up to the mark again to convert his fifth penalty of the afternoon. 15-20, Saints looking to pocket a losing bonus point, but how long to play?

 

Again Saints pressed forward now roared on a by a crowd which had awoken from it’s mid-match slumber. Bruce Reihana intelligently kicked into space in the Quins’ 22 and they were forced to clear to touch. No whistle from Mr Rose, a chance for another play. Play continued and Saints were awarded a scrum on the 22. Blowers took the ball on, replacement scrum-half Ben Jones switched play and Quins’ defence was stretched. Drahm made the dummy and fed Tucker who touched down and tied the scores. 20-20.

 

Franklin’s Gardens has a superb reputation for respecting the kicker of both sides when it comes to a conversion or penalty. Never in this writer’s memory has it been more evident as Drahm lined up what was to be the last kick of the game. Can you amplify silence? I don’t know but somehow that seems the right description for that moment. The crowd held its collective breath. Shane kicked. The ball sailed through the posts. Mr Rose blew for time. Delirium on the pitch and in the stands.

 

The Harlequins team must have sat in the dressing room wondering how they lost that game. I’m still wondering quite how we won. There is no doubt that coach Budge Pountney has the team playing for each other and that’s probably what saw the them through to the end. It certainly wasn’t pretty, at times it was downright horrible, but the team never stopped trying to play. That’s what made the difference. I’m sure the representatives from Toulouse won’t have seen too much to worry them ahead of next week’s Heineken Cup encounter. No matter, that’s for another day. Saturday evening and Saints sit at the dizzy height of ninth in the Zurich Premiership, nine points clear of Leeds.

 

That will do for me, for now.