By Saint Tim
April 15 2011

Well this was a strange game in the extreme.  Not sure I can remember another one like it in my years of watching Saints.  There was a bonus point by half time and yet we with a couple of minutes before half time we were only 3 points up.  By the end Saints had scored eight tries – yes that is right eight tries but give Sale their due as they never gave up and always looked dangerous with ball in hand.

Who was your MoTM as Saints scored eight against Sale at the Gardens?

As I say it was a very odd match.  I remember that after 19 minutes when Saints scored their third try (and first penalty one) I said to Lesley K that I felt sorry for the Sale supporters that had made the trip.  Sale did have 3 points to their name but they had a man in the bin, were struggling up front and nothing seemed to be going for them.  Well I should have kept my mouth shut as the next scores were all from the visitors.  Firstly their winger seemed to run through our defence several time on his way to a try near the posts and the Charlie Hodgson showed the benefit of a proven goal kicker as he punished Saints indiscretions with a couple of penalties.  Fortunately the Saints bonus point try came along as Brian Mujati went over to score which Stephen Myler duly converted.

So with the bonus point in the bag would Saints throw it all away in the second half?  Well the key talking point of the game came on the 45^th minute.  Sale scored in front of the shrubbery but there was still a melee going on from the build up play.  The try was awarded but on the advice of the touch judge – sorry assistant referee – the Sale hooker was shown his second yellow card of the game (the first having occurred as a team card when Sale were struggling with the Saints forwards in the first half) and with that he was shown a red.  It was a something and nothing event but he chose to run and get involved late and was thus rather stupid given he was on a yellow.  Also in this and unseen by the officials and virtually all the crowd – but not the cameras – Mark Cueto had an altercation with Christain Day where his hand strayed to the face.  If seen this would have been a second red card and the end to all spectacle in the game.  As it was with Sale being a forward player missing against what was a dominant Saints pack it was really damage limitation.

It was then really one way traffic and notable for a couple of events.  The first of these was the first try Tom Wood has scored for Saints.  I am very surprised that it has taken Tom so long to get on the score sheet.  The second was the second penalty try of the game to the Saints.  I was hoping for a hat trick and sir having to buy a jug in the bar afterwards.

So the second 5 pointer in two weeks and from those I talked to they reckoned that Sale were a better proposition than Wasps. 

So, who caught the eye?

Only two players did this week.  In second place with just over 28% was Roger Wilson.  Roger picked up a yellow card during the game when he was adjudged to have come in at the side to pick the ball out of a ruck.  It was harmless in that it was well outside our 22 and Saints were under no pressure but sir went straight for his pocket.  Seconds later with Sale under great pressure in their 22 Ben Cohen did the same and hardly got a ticking off.  All very strange!  Roger is a rock in the team and this was his 20^th game of the season.

The winner and his second in three weeks was Lee Dickson.  Lee sneaked home with just over 29% of the votes. Lee is getting some attention now as his return is so closely aligned with the upswing in Saints results.  Well done Lee on your second win of the season.

So coming into the business end of the season we have three players tied on three wins each.  Behind the leaders are a pack of seven players with two wins each.  It is pretty clear that at this point almost anyone could win.

My thanks to the 106 people who voted.

Full Result

Previous Winners

Vote History

Who wins?

Leaderboard

Players Used

So far this season we have used 36 different players.  I do notice however that after 28 games we still have four players who have missed three or fewer starts.  There are six players who have played twenty two matches or more and nine with twenty or more under their belt.  This isn’t really rotation and could mean a very tired squad reaching the business end of the season.

MoTM: Saints tryfest at home against Sale

Discussion started by ComeOnYouSaints.com , 15/04/2011 08:38

ComeOnYouSaints.com
15/04/2011 08:38

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St.Rich Joe, Niamh and Sam's Dad
15/04/2011 11:05

As ever Tim that's a great read

No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.

Dryathlon

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Phil.
15/04/2011 11:32

What Rich said!

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Jon in Wherever
15/04/2011 16:59

Love the (un)intentional pun...

"who caught the eye?"

Mark Cueto, surely?

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Saint Tim
15/04/2011 17:24

“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

Benjamin Franklin

Tetleys Block F E143

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Flinstone Saint
15/04/2011 21:53

Quote:

Jon in Alaska
Love the (un)intentional pun...
"who caught the eye?"

Mark Cueto, surely?

I thought that was intentional!

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