By Saint Tim
January 4 2011

This is that odd game in the season – the immediate return match.  One problem with this is that niggles from one week often carry over to the next.  This encounter was no different.  The previous match at home was a game which barely managed to get through without mass brawls and this one was just the same.  There was an intensity that prickled throughout the matches. Some say it was almost at test intensity.  To me the niggles and off the ball incidents detracted from what could have been a very attractive game.   

Who was your MoTM as Saints won away in a fiesty encounter at the Blues?

This was a game of three yellow cards and a red card which about reflected the game.  Saints received two yellows, Downey on 30 mins and Calum Clarke on 77.  Between those two events Blues received a yellow for Bradley Davies on 49 and a red for Xavier Rush on 54 minutes for a head high diving tackle on Courtney Lawes.  At something like six foot twelve I am sure that Courtney has not been on the receiving end of many high tackles.  Add to this the fact that the citing commissioner spotted some potential contact between a Blues hand and Dylans face in the area of his eyes.  This certainly was not for the faint hearted.

It was not a vintage performance from Saints with the ball indeed there were long periods when we did not seem to see the ball.  It was close throughout and there was never more than a score between the two sides.  Indeed it was the Blues that held that largest lead after Mustoe scored their try just after half time.  At that point I was beginning to doubt our boys but to my delight they showed real mettle and started to look the more threatening team.  Saints briefly held the lead after three Myler penalties but a quick drop goal restored the Blues (albeit very slim) lead and going into the last ten minutes that was how it stood.  Surely the loss of Rush would tell in the long run!

In the end the try came courtesy of the forwards and the television match official.  There has been much debate on here about whether it was a try, whether it was given to Clarke or whether it was Dylans later attempt that was given.  I say “look in the papers – a try was given to Saints therefore it counts”.

So with that try even the late card for Clarke could not stop Saints making another huge stride towards qualification for the quarter finals and with the odds on a home match getting shorter.  This is so good to see – even when not playing particularly well.

So, who caught the eye?

In fourth place this week and the only back to make an appearance was Ben Foden with 11% of the votes cast.  Ben was largely quiet in the first half but that changed in the second when he started running the ball back with real intent – beating the first up tackler on almost every occasion.

In third place with 12% was Brian Mujati.  Brian, or should I say Mooj, was at his destructive best in the lose as well as helping take apart the Blues front row.  I am enjoying watching Brian this season.

In second place with just under 24% was Dylan Hartley.  Dylan is really becoming the Saints pantomime villain.  Many supporters of other clubs seem to go around watching Dylan and picking up every little incident and blowing it out of proportion.  Some say this goes back to several years ago when Dylan was banned for several months.  They seem to see their anti Dylan movement as a crusade.  I, however, see the hooker that plays at or near the edge as all good hookers need to do.  I see the player who despite being sinned against so often (funny how his detractors excuse or ignore these) has kept his cool so well.  Dylan is our captain and I for one am glad he is ours and not playing against us.

The winner and by a very small margin was Roger Wilson with just over 24% of the votes cast.  Roger really is Mr dependable in our back row.  I struggle to recall a bad game he has had.  That Roger is continually overlooked by the Irish selectors leaves me perplexed.  This is Roger’s second win of the season and means we now have five players on two wins and five players on one win each.  This is great balance from the squad.

Finally thanks to the 118 peope who voted.

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Players Used

So far this season we have used 31 different players.