By Billy Hamilton
October 22 2002

When I started writing these previews this season I was very careful not to get into predicting the results. This policy is needed this week, as this game is one that is too close to call.

London Irish vs Northampton Saints
Sun 27 Oct at Madejski Stadium - KO 15:00

Game preview

By Billy Hamilton

Last season we had a comfortable 48-12 win at the Madejski Stadium, our largest victory over the Saints. Then a rejuvenated Saints took their revenge in a bloody encounter at Franklin’s Gardens in the last game of 2001. Then we come to 20/04/02 a day never to be forgotten. We went into that game thinking that we could lift the cup but even the most optimistic of us could not anticipate the margin of our victory. We went down to the Saints 14-38 in the Zurich Championship in May a result that should be ignored as we put out a weak side and did not really look as if we wanted to progress.

This season we have only won one game in the Premiership against the four victories to Northampton. Northampton had a comfortable win against Ulster in the Heineken Cup and then a narrow three-point defeat by French champions Biarritz. In the same competition we have got our act together and came within five points of Toulouse and then had a marvellous win against Edinburgh last Sunday.

 

Our only Premiership win in the last five outings at Madejski Stadium was the 32-10 victory over Saracens on 15 September.  But the Saints do not have a good away record. Their away Premiership victory this season came at Bristol on 15 September, and they have not managed to score a try bonus point away from Franklin's Gardens since a 28-13 win at Newcastle last December.

So with the drummers behind us and a matching performance our war cry must be "Remember 20^th April".

PS – Don’t forget to put your clocks back on Saturday night

  Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership
 Played                                 17
 London Irish Won                       5                    29.4%
 Northampton Saints Won            11                   64.7%
 Drawn                                  1                    5.9%
 Biggest Win for London Irish           48 - 12              18 Nov 2001
 Biggest Win for Northampton Saints     51 - 10              13 Dec 1997
 
 London Irish top try scorer vs Northampton Saints           Niall Woods          6 tries
 
 London Irish top points scorer vs  Northampton Saints     Niall Woods          55 points
 
 Northampton Saints top try scorer vs  London Irish            Budge Pountney       4 tries
 
 Northampton Saints top points scorer vs London Irish     Paul Grayson         116 points

  Previous Meetings
 Date                  Teams             Result  Venue             
 19 May     London Irish vs Northampton
 2002                 Saints             14 - 38 Madejski Stadium  
 29 Dec     London Irish vs Northampton
 2001                 Saints             15 - 24 Franklin's Gardens
 18 Nov     London Irish vs Northampton
 2001                 Saints             48 - 12 Madejski Stadium  
 17 Mar     London Irish vs Northampton
 2001                 Saints             13 - 10 Madejski Stadium  
 26 Aug     London Irish vs Northampton
 2000                 Saints             10 - 27 Franklin's Gardens
 26 Jan     London Irish vs Northampton
 2000                 Saints             20 - 44 The Stoop         
 13 Nov     London Irish vs Northampton
 1999                 Saints             19 - 24 Franklin's Gardens
 05 Jan     London Irish vs Northampton
 1999                 Saints             32 - 8  Franklin's Gardens
 24 Oct     London Irish vs Northampton
 1998                 Saints             10 - 26 The Avenue        
 22 Apr     London Irish vs Northampton
 1998                 Saints             18 - 33 Franklin's Gardens