Northampton Saints
Saints Overcome Montpellier in the Challenge Cup
By David Lowrence
January 18 2009
I send you apologies for the delay in posting this travelogue from Montpelier. When I penned the similar report from Toulon, I was able to write it on my return from a night spent “on the Town”. The refreshments in Montpellier must be much stronger!
ECC POOL MATCH
Montpellier Herault v Northampton Saints
Thursday 15th January 2009
Stade Yves Manoir KO 20:45
It is now the penultimate day for many on the Gleadell Tours excursion to the Languedoc, and a good time to take stock. For those of us who booked early, it was necessary to ensure that our visit covered Thursday to Sunday, to accommodate the penchant for French TV to show games across those days. This meant a very early start from Cliftonville Manor House, and a trip around the town to collect Howlin' And Oh Jeremy, before braving the M1 & M25 to Ebbsfleet. We arrived with at least an hour to spare, and were able to enjoy the delight of what was once known as Swanscombe Cutting! It is a pleasant alternative to risking the early trains from Northampton, and has massive Car Parks, is very clean and virtually empty. We boarded our train to Lille and settled for a doze. The fact that the match was that evening meant that we faced a long day! Everything went smoothly, our train to Montpellier was on time, and we dozed and drank our way to the destination. (There were some complaints by other Saintly travellers that those of us in the posh seats had drunk all the red wine, a calumny and hotly disputed, but no matter, the buffet refuelled at Lyon!)
On arriving at our hotel, the group was met by Obergruppenfuhrer Gleadell, who had procured our match tickets earlier in the day, and we set off for Stade Yves Manoir, via a pleasant bar near the tram stop. Ten minutes on the tram, a trip across the dock, a five minute wait for stragglers and we boarded our bus to the ground. Much has been written of the glories of this ground. It is fantastic. The majestic sweep of the roof, covered in solar panels, the steep bowl of seating means that this is not only a work of art, but a highly functional stadium, which has a minimal carbon footprint. And it cost the club not one eurocent as it was built as a training base for Australia and New Zealand for the world cup and then given to the town. It is also, as remarked upon by Mrs Stockers as the only ground where the food outlets offered Oysters and Wine as match refreshments.
So to the match. French Super 14 sides are difficult to play on their home patch, even with a half full Stadium and a crisis at the top of the club. Montpellier Herault is a proud team, and with the opportunity to go through as a runner up it was going to be tough. The first half saw many handbags strewn around the pitch, as the home side tried to wind up the visitors. To no avail, even a yellow card for Vallee for punching (surely a red? But more of the ref later) did not dent Montpellier's appetite to physicality of the illegal kind. A shame really, as Saints inability to be completer/finishers, even though being on top for the whole half, meant that had Montpellier played the game, they could well have given Saints a match, with who knows what outcome. Going in at half time 3-12 up, the Saints supporters, very vocal by the way, were frustrated that the handling errors belied the Saints advantage.
15 minutes into the second half, Montpellier realised that their rough house tactics were not working, and decided to play Rugby. Two quick tries, and Saints had a fight of a different type on their hads. The defence tightened, and at 17-18 into the last quarter it was looking tight indeed. Monty saved the day with scorching try minutes from no side, making it 17-28, but a the last minute try by Rees gave Montpellier the Bonus point they deserved.
If the referee had been consistent, this might have been a walk over for Saints. As it was, his laissez faire attitude to infringements in the first half ensured that there was a contest. Good thing or bad? You decide. Saints poor handling really let them down, and it was a frustrating game to watch, but they fought hard and to win in France is always good, anf although we have dropped a point, we are still in line for a Home QF match.
The Montpellier supporters were very welcoming. As usual they were surprised at the numbers of our travelling support. They were also full of praise for our team, predicting that we would win the competition, but that might just have been the beer.
And so a return on the tram to the city centre, and a fruitless search for a restaurant open at 11:30 on Thursday. The impasse finally resolved by Howlin', who found us a Pizza restaurant still open and prepared to serve us. Replete we repaired to the unofficial HQ at the Greyhound, where the single barman did a sterling job of serving us till 3:30 by which time we were exhausted!
Friday was a recovery day, with knots of Saints supporters wandering the streets of the old town, wondering what the economy had come to when a pint of beer costs the equivalent of £6.40p . Much more of this and the travelling hoards will become a trickle! The hard core were still present on the Saturday, seeking bars and sights away from the centre ville, where a big demonstration was planned to coincide with a teachers dispute and a firemen's strike!, largely successful, we watched the edifying spectacle of Glasgow handing Toulouse a home defeat, much to the chagrin of the French supporters in the bar! I retired hurt in the evening, having eaten something which insisted on letting me know that it did not wish to be part of my metabolism. Sunday dawns and felling a little better, a trip to the end of the tram line is in store, to investigate the French countryside.
Toulon next week. The club must be targeting 5 points, and a rest for some of the stalwarts. Our European Odyssey continues.
David Lowrence
18 January - Montpellier
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:01:21:19:16:27 by Phil..
I got back late last night, had a wonderful time. Montpellier is a lovely city. The stadium was weird. Aesthetically pleasing, but not brilliant from a spectator's point of view - you're so far away from the action it's like watching on tv! It's the complete opposite to Bath's Helphire stand - it's almost vertical, so induces a slight feeling of dizzyness whenever you stand up!
My fellow COYSDCers were really great - special mention to Wilma & Connect and their families for letting me eat with them on Friday night, and thanks to everyone else I encountered for never failing to have a chat/buy me beer/invite me for coffee/etc. Travelling alone doesn't have to be a lonely experience - and it never will be when you travel to watch the Saints!
Good to meet the Saintly hordes who made the away trip such a memorable experience for first timers such as yours truly and O'Carolans beat the Greyhound hands down for atmosphere.
Finally, merci beaucoup to M Gleadell for his city guide and tips as to what to see. You didn't disappoint. Your red eyes on Friday morning whilst you were sipping cognacs in Place Comedie were a sight to behold!
Towsaint
Now i'm off for some more seagoaté.
Note to Bank of England - stop cutting interest rates so that the £ recovers against the € please. Guinness at £6.20 ish is just not funny!
As to the game, we did well in the end against Montpellier who decided to stop messing about in the second half and start playing got a bit close at one stage until Monty's superbly taken winger's try eased the gap back up again.
Mixed performances from the rest of the team curates egg and all that. Mark Easter played a blinder though and Tiny was just immense. Ho hum, bring on the Toulonnaise!
Saint til I die
dej
Quote:*Sankt Marlowe
"They [the Montpellier supporters] were also full of praise for our team, predicting that we would win the competition"
* Just to ensure the integrity of Montpellier supporters, I assume they did add the caveat that they meant next year, when "London" "Irish" are back in the Heineken Cup, which like this year's ECC has already been awarded to the empty-stadiumed self-backslapping Reading clowns.
Also, if you're complaining about a measely 6.40GBP for an AG, wait until Steve Diamond organises his Russia vs. Saints friendly in Moscow...
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