By Chris Chaplin
November 27 2002

Hoving into view over the horizon I spy the pirate ship Black Pig with it's band of cut throats about to mount their annual assault on Welford Road. So it's on with my eye patch to see whether the porcine pirates will make the Tigers walk the plank on Saturday.

After Sunday's debacle at the MadStad when Tigers performed as badly as I can recall in the recent past and Saints thorough dismantling of the hapless Harlequins one could be forgiven for thinking that the game could be up for the Tigers' home record.

However potentially the sides facing each other next Saturday teatime could have a very different look about them as the substantial international contingents return for the final Premiership encounter before Christmas.

It appears that once again the young Saints pack had it all to do against the Quins last week and the front row in particular found life difficult against the heavier and more experienced opposition, really much as has been the case over the past three weeks.

Notwithstanding that it seems that the makeshift set up was showing signs of real improvement, however while it is difficult to know what the line up will be on Saturday, it seems likely that Thompson and the ever excellent Tom Smith will make an appearance and given the formers' performances for England he, with Smith, will represent a major threat, particularly in broken play.

Rob Hunter and Phillips played against Quins with the latest Anglo/Kiwi signing Lord starting on the bench. I expect to see the Williams partner Phillips if Connors and/or Ackerman are still injured and this combination will be a very different proposition, although still not bomb proof.

In the backrow presumably Pountney will return to accompany Andrew Blowers, for whom the expression making the hard yards was surely coined, and if the line up that acquitted itself so well at Castle Grim is to be restored Grant Seely will also need to make his return.

This pack took it to Glaws before the distortions of the internationals occurred and on the other occasion I saw it play against Sorries it was very impressive indeed. If there is a weakness, and I'm struggling to find one, it may be in the line out, but as I say I'm struggling for a crumb of comfort!

Behind the pack Mrs Dawson's lad is reportedly fit to play on Saturday and in his current form will be a real handful, always assuming he can find time away from his refereeing duties. Grayson's educated boot will, if he's given decent possession and time on the ball, see us playing inside our 22, never quite so dangerous with ball in hand to my mind but lethal if he is allowed to get his kicking game going.

Leslie and Hyndman sound to have played well last time and perhaps the inherent lack of invention and penetration behind the Saints pack earlier in the season may have been resolved. If so the Saints back three could have something that they've been denied up to now, volume of quality ball.

To the back three then. Well after his deeds of derring do and ascendance, in many people's view, to world class status Ben Cohen will presumably take up his position on the wing, which would be tough on the rejuvenated Sleightholme but I can't see Reihana being stood down after what sounds to have been something of a master class against Quins and of course he is one of those players that can play pretty much anywhere in the backs. If Tigers kick to this character they're are in for trouble with a capital T.

Beal at full back always has, for me anyway, been a bit of a curate's egg of a player. Not a great kicking game and does get caught trying to run out of defence but is a killer finisher coming into the line and I can just see him picking up offload ball from Reihana and repeating his brace against Quins if we're not careful and if the service is there we know what Cohen can do.

So let's make no mistake this a is a good team, there are some real class players dotted all around and a number of them are coming into really good form.

Hmmm!!! Tigers?

Well after the victory over Glaws I thought this would be the easy bit but having subjected myself to the agonies of Reading last Sunday I'm a little lost for words - yes even me!

Tigers were quite simply awful, no passion, no desire, no commitment, slow to the breakdown, messy set piece, lateral no hope back play, terrible defence, awful, just awful. They looked like a National Division 1 side struggling to avoid relegation rather than double back to back Premiership Champions and back to back European Champions.

OK had we had a kicker rather than Stimmo and Geordan being consigned to reading the Sunday papers while waiting for their Roast Beef and two veg., it could have all been very different. But while Irish have some talent they are not a good team this year and are very one dimensional (well two I suppose if you count defence and kicking as a dimension each) and Tigers still struggled and struggled badly.

I hope that Deano does not start his leave the internationals on the bench routine and sticks with Sunday's team to start for if he does I fear the worst as we could be points down and in trouble before the crowd settles.

We shall need mobility in the front row to cope with the Northampton crew and I trust that Freshwater/West/Franck will start and have spent time with the tackle bag in readiness for Thompson and Smith and Dorian's decision making and accuracy at the line out will need to improve over last week's display.

Second Row - Johnno and Ben, no argument surely. As I said earlier if there is a potential weakness in the Saints pack it's here and the England duo should have more than a slight edge.

In the backrow with MadEye injured Backy/Corry/Josh must be the favourite line up. Josh was looking a bit jaded on Sunday but he did at least keep trying and as good as the Saints back row is I believe this line up would prevail. With Johnno and Backy restored there'll be no slacking or wandering around this week!

Now to the real problem area - half -backs and backs. Well let's start with the half backs. After Sunday Harry must be feeling low and while doubtless anxious to re-establish himself, playing against an in form Dawson is not the best medicine for a young scrum half already low on confidence.

Tierney is obviously the most likely candidate for the jersey but I'd like to see Oz given a start at 9. He's been Dawson's Nemesis in the past, has been watching him for three weeks and given his stated ambition to reassert his claim on the England #9 shirt he'd probably play out of his skin. But it will probably be Tierney and if he can get quick ball and keep an eagle eye on Dawson on their ball he may contain him and he should remember that Matthew doesn't like being harried.

At 10 Vesty had an equally horrid time at Reading but with such poor service I'd stick with him, although I suppose the most likely outcome is for Oz to start at 10 and if he does I'd expect him to have a better game than of late in the fly-half spot for Tigers and reproduce his England form.. Wherever he plays we can certainly do with his inventiveness and speed of thought and deed.

I thought Rod looked like he was stuck to the turf against Irish he was that slow and while he'll probably start I'd be very tempted to play Gelderbloom at 12 where he's intelligent play would be of great benefit. If Rod plays he'll need to get his distribution skills working and not endlessly run into contact. Of all the backs on Sunday only Ollie Smith came out with any credit and apart from anything else his defensive work will be invaluable and hopefully prevent Saints getting their dangerous wings away.

Speaking of wingers; I cannot see how in anyone's wildest dreams Lloyd can start or even be on the bench as his performance on Sunday, if you can grace it with such a description, was the worst I've seen from a Tiger for many a day and I dread to think what Reihana or Cohen would do to him. Geordan must surely start and bring his footballing skills into play.

On the other wing perhaps Raynor, he looked strong and fast when we briefly saw him on Sunday, however I expect it will be Fred., who looks out of sorts to me. At full back, Mr Stimpson he, with Geordan, should be well rested and be ready with big games.

In spite of the undoubted talent within the Saints pack I think the reinstated Tigers first choice set up will have the beating of them. If Deano doesn't abandon this other level strategy (mind you no one has said whether it's a higher or lower level I suppose!) it could be a real struggle unless somebody has finally worked a miracle this week.

BUT we are at Welford Road, there will be 17000 people there, the majority of whom will be screaming for Tigers, and it is the Old Enemy so we may be able to edge it but it may not be pretty and it will be tight - very tight and the unthinkable, of the Piglets wresting the home league record from us, could become an unbearable reality. If on the other hand Deano is as astute as he usually is and goes back to the tried and tested techniques and concentrates on their being faultlessly executed, as we know they can be by Tigers, then it should be a good, if rugged, victory.