By Chris Gleadell
October 29 2009

After all the euphoria and shenanigans of the last two Heineken Cup weekends Saturdays win over Sale at the Gardens was in some respects a case of after the Lord Mayors Show. Two scores in the space of five minutes just before half time gave Saints the edge they probably deserved at the end of the first period.

 Thoughts from the Chron 29th October

During the break, going on what we have seen so far this season, you would have expected us to capitalise on that and go for the five pointer. Alas it was not to be with just a brace of penalties, one each for Shane Geraghty and Stephen Myler, the only additions to the scoreboard before referee Peter Fitzgibbon blew for full time.
 
Conditions were not ideal and it was a lack lustre affair at times but as the old adage goes a win, is a win, is a win and there were a couple of pluses for Saints to take out of the game. Despite injuries and suspensions the lads more than held their own and indeed Sale can count themselves very lucky they managed to scramble a last gasp losing bonus point such was Saints superiority. Two of the younger players yet again caught the eye. Courtney Lawes did his burgeoning reputation no harm at all in another all round display while Chris Ashton, who had a hand in both tries, looks to be getting better week on week. Given the standard of opposition we are now facing you could argue that the growing understanding we see in the back three of Chris, Bruce Reihana on the other wing and Ben Foden at fullback is the potentially the best we've seen since the trio of Bruce, Ben Cohen and Sean Lamont were running them in for fun during the purple patch of the
05/06 season.
 
Of course one of those trio turned out for the opposition on Saturday. After a couple of years in the French wilderness Ben Cohen, formerly of this parish, is trying to rebuild his career up at Sale. His reasons for leaving the Saints are immaterial now, it is water long gone under the bridge, but given how our back three is playing I would not be surprised if their was a slight hint of regret from Ben looking on at something he could have been part of had things panned out differently. As one of our own I wish him well, he certainly looks to have his work cut out at Sale though but who knows a couple of breaks and we might well see the Ben of old strutting his stuff in the Premiership once more.

The future for Saints however looks secure in the hands of Messrs Reihana, Ashton & Foden.
 
TIGERS
 
Maybe not all we expected on Saturday but the win keeps Saints in fourth place in the Guinness Premiership still well in touch with current leaders Saracens just five points above. We travel to our nearest and dearest neighbours at Leicester on Saturday for once looking down on them in that table. Tigers sit one place and three points below us but not having the best of starts by their own lofty standards. Remarkably they have scored just three tries in their six league outings (Saints have have hardly set the world alight and scored 11 in the same amount of games) and their three victories so far have all been scraped by a single score. So now might be the ideal time to play them.
 
Welford Roadhas been a happy hunting ground in recent years for the Saints. Since that famous 25-12 win back in 2002 we've managed to come away with the spoils on a further two occaisions, 32-15 in 2003 and 10-9 in 2007, so perhaps the visit is not as daunting as it used to have been.
 
However as always with these local derbies all form goes out the window. Tigers may not have blazing a trail so far this season but the metronome boot of the unsung Jeremy Staunton has kept the scoreboard ticking over for them and any indiscretion will be punished. With it being the local derby and the usual no quarter asked or given the lads might just have to keep a lid on it the best they can to keep that penalty count down. If they do and get some good ball of their own then there is no reason why Saints cannot make it the fourth win in a decade at Welford Road. If we take some of that Munster form there is no reason why not. Saints by five!
 
Unfortunately I am missing out on the trip down the road on Saturday but as always there is sure to be a good showing from Saints supporters at Welford Road. It will be a vastly changed ground from our last visit. The new Caterpillar Stand dominates the skyline now and has increased capacity to 24,500 making it the biggest purpose built rugby club ground in England.

There should be a near on full house on Saturday, and I know a few Saints supporters are in the upper reaches of the Caterpillar. With crampons fitted and Sherpas to show you the way, enjoy your day. Me, I'll be down at sea level, avoiding the nosebleeds, watching the game on Sky.
 
ENGLAND
 
A very big well done to Courtney Lawes this week. With all the column inches in the press after the Munster game it was not a total surprise to see Courtney promoted the main England squad. However it is some meteoric rise for the youngster who improves week in week out and has grabbed every opportunity put his way with both hands. Time will tell how England will use him in the Autumn internationals but at the very least the next few weeks will be a great experience for someone who on current showing will be involved at this level for many years to come.
 
Three other Saints make the squad in Dylan Hartley, Ben Foden and Shane Geraghty, all have youth on their side, something that bodes well for not only England but Saints as well. I have been critical of Martin Johnson in the past for continuing to select the old guard and not letting youth have its head. Lets hope Courtney's selection is just the start.
 
One final note. I notice a few journalists this week keep mentioning how Courtney was born ‘a stone's throw from Franklins Gardens'. Given his size and strength I am sure the maintenance crew at the Gardens are happy that he is probably not the stone throwing type!