By Ben Dover
January 29 2006

If you believe in luck and support the Saints you might well be concerned that Northampton is using up a lifetimes supply in one season. The Rugby gods favoured the Saints for the third time in a Premiership outing as they took a further step away from the danger zone.

The Good, The Bad and the Downright Ugly

 

 

This years donation to the senior referees retirement fund must also be under review as Tony Spreadbury crucially awarded the match winning penalty in the final minute of the match, however no kick is considered a gimmie if you’re a Saints supporter and close on 13,500 people were holding their breath as Bruce Reihana stepped up to convert.

 

Whilst the Saints were away last weekend, in the frozen and fog bound wastelands of Northern Italy, Leeds were comprehensively adding to the blue bit of Cardiff’s chosen nickname. So who would benefit more? Saints from their enforced break in Italy? Or Leeds from their recent confidence building efforts at Headingly?

 

A scan of the results in this weekends papers might tell you that the Saints were the real benefactors from last weekends European escapades but closer inspection of the sporting columns could well reveal a different opinion and one that many a discerning Rugby student might concur with.

 

The day was made for Rugby. The air thick with ice and expectation, the sun showing a promise of what is to come and yet double layers, tots of whiskey and hot Cornish pasties were still the order of the day.

 

Even the traditional madcap Brit could be seen on the steps of the Franklins Bar in what would have appeared to be wholly inappropriate attire, ponchos, sombreros, moustaches and fat cigars. Yet there was more than just a touch of the Good the Bad and the Ugly about this game. Two teams on the trail of 4 points buried at the bottom of 80 minutes of tension.

 

Much of the pre match hype centred on the half back pairings and the encounter had a lip lickingly good look about it. The Rugby equivalent of a bargain bucket with three handsome New Zealanders in Robinson, Spencer and Marshall and the in form Scot Gordon Ross.

 

Yet neither Stand-off had a particularly good day on the park. Ball in hand; Ross conceivably had the edge, with little elusive breaks, darts and plays out of the tackle. Spencer on the other hand was seemingly caught in three or four minds on more than one occasion. Ultimately though the Ross kicking game seemed askew and with hindsight potentially proved costly.

 

 

 

Saints were in the saddle first with a serious break from Spencer ending in a stand off on the touch line. Spreadbuy quick to intervene. The portents were good and Lamont confirmed it with a try in the 7th minute following a lovely banana ball from Spencer. Lamont stood up De Marigny and bounced over the line. Reihana hit the post with the conversion attempt.

 

 

 

Ross mimicked Reihana at the other end only 5 minutes later when trying to convert Biggs well taken try. Leeds had threatened from the restart and Saints failed to deal effectively with the danger as Ross slipped the ball in the tackle, good hands made use of the overlap and Biggs was over to put Leeds back in the game.

 

Saints hit back from a quickly taken restart but were kept at bay by some good first up tackling, however with 15 minutes gone Leeds were forced to employ some illegal tactics at the breakdown and presented Reihana with a potential 3 pointer. The opportunity was spurned.

 

Minutes later and Cohen responded in kind by holding on and handing the initiative back to Leeds, Spreadbury deeming it necessary to have a West Country word in his ear.

 

With the first quarter gone Leeds were creeping back into the game, becoming more good than bad. They began to show adventure but only from deep as Spencer persisted with a kicking game up the middle. De Marigny breaking from his own 22 took play deep into the Saints half. Saints were forced to slow down the ball and were penalised. Ross took the score to 5-8 as he popped over a simple kick.

 

Spencer out of necessity has been restricting his game in pursuit of victory and only occasional glimpses of his Harry Potter repertoire have been spotted recently in the Premiership Circus. Frustrated he may be by the limitations of the game plan but on at least two occasions simple overlaps were ignored by the former All Black.

 

One such pass, kick or take contact quandary for Spencer, gave Leeds turnover ball which was fully exploited by the impressive Biggs-a thorn in the Saints side for much of match.

 

As with so many of these Premiership games results often rely on a decision the thickness of a Rizla and Biggs after breaking through clearly appeared to have been bundled into touch by the tackle before releasing the ball. Somehow the flag stayed down. Leeds took the ball on and Biggs was back on hand to dot down his second of the day. Only Ross could offer a silver lining to the relegation clouds gathering over the Gardens. He missed the conversion.

 

 

 

Saints missing quite a few first up tackles nearly let Leeds in again directly from the restart but regained their composure just before half time. A set piece move from the lineout saw Cohen in off the wing. Breaking straight through the middle he offloaded to Quinlan who in turn found Clark on his right shoulder. Clark gave Reihana the easiest of conversions by touching down between the sticks.

 

 

With the half time deficit reduced to just 1 point (12-13), Saints had something to work with in the second half, even more promisingly Leeds were reduced to just 14 not long after the break. Marshall received just a yellow for attempting to rearrange Ben Cohen’s face, whilst it could well be argued that he deserved a straight red for his indiscretions. Cohen retired to the Blood bin for repairs. Saints nudged ahead 15-13 with the resulting penalty.

 

Time for the Saints to step up a gear, Thompson pirouetting out of tackles on the touch line led the charge as Saints looked to press home the advantage. But Leeds withstood the onslaught well. The forthright Lord being wrapped up in the tackle as the try line beckoned. 

 

Saints maintained their concerted attacks as they went through their best phase of the game, somehow the opportunities never opened up at the vital moments. Wave after wave hit Leeds square on, but the try line remained intact as Saints slipped up at each crucial turn. Backed by a stirring crescendo from the faithful it felt like the dam would break at any moment. But it never did. Even three successive scrums 5 meters out failed to produce the breathing the space Saints so desperately desired.    

 

The tension was now palpable as the 60 minute mark came and went. Finally Saints received their reward as Leeds were caught holding onto the ball Spencer this time converting from just inside the halfway line. 18 -13 would have to do.

 

It’s difficult to see how Leeds are adrift at the foot of the table as they played with good technical ability, big hearts and a never say die attitude that you could easily associate with any of the leading premiership contenders. Perhaps a draw might have been fitting given their contribution to the game and in fact a win looked more likely as they came back hard in the closing 10 minutes.

 

Saints were clinging on to their lead as Robinson’s replacement Johnny Howard came up with a real shocker of a pass deep inside his own 22. Cohen rescued with a clearance. Surely that was it? No-even worse or should I say Uglier was to follow.

 

Pressing hard once more at the scrum Leeds managed to get a little nudge. Daniel Brown at the base of the scrum seemed to hesitate and promptly made a real hash of his pick and go. The ball popped loose and Leeds gratefully accepted, Danny Care bundling over. I’m sure I heard women screaming and small children crying.

 

Ross had the conversion attempt someway in from the touch line to probably win the game. Inexplicably he pushed it wide and 18-18 looked set to be the final score. That is until the dying minute when Leeds dived over the ball right in front of their posts.

 

At three tries to two the moral victory belongs to Leeds, the 4 points however belong to the Saints and at this stage of the season I know which I’d rather have. Good, Bad or Downright Ugly a win is a win.

 

Ben Dover