By Phil Hollis
October 13 2006

Northampton Saints welcome Leicester Tigers to FG in the biggest home match of the domestic season. Comeonyousaints.com co-editor, Phil Hollis looks ahead to Saturday's game...

Let’s just cast our minds back just a few short weeks, to about, let’s say 3.30pm on September 16^th. How were you feeling? Me, pretty darn good, thank you very much! Saints had just turned over Bath big time in a lunchtime kick-off and all was well with the world…

 

Moving forward just one week, I checked in at half-time to find Saints only 10-7 down at Gloucester. Hey! I can live with that thinks I, we can get something out of this game…

 

Friday 13^th October – As you well know, dear reader, "poor" is just one word which could be used to describe the Saints’ last 200 minutes (give or take) of play. Glaws woke up, Worcester wanted it more than us and then error after error left the Dragons supporters laughing their socks off at our ineptitude. What the hell am I going to write about…

 

 

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs. LEICESTER TIGERS

 

FRANKLINS GARDENS

 

SATURDAY 14^TH OCTOBER, 3.00PM

 

 

Unlike its footballing cousin, which can boast City/United, Liverpool/Everton or Cobblers/Diamonds, there are few real local derbies in English Rugby Union. You’ve got Bath/Bristol perhaps but in reality there is only one domestic club derby of note. And that’s Northampton Saints against Leicester Tigers. And that is why Saturday is such a big deal. The “sold out” signs went up at Franklin’s Gardens weeks ago so a packed house awaits both teams both of whom need a good performance as the fledgling Premiership season begns to take shape.

 

Taking Tigers first, Pat Howard announced the following 22 on Thursday afternoon…

 

15 Sam Vesty, 14 Geordan Murphy, 13 Ollie Smith, 12 Dan Hipkiss,11 Johne Murphy, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Scott Bemand; 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 George Chuter, 3 Michael Holford, 4 Leo Cullen, 5 Ben Kay, 6 Louis Deacon, 7 Lewis Moody, 8 Martin Corry (capt)

Replacements:

16 David Young, 17 James Buckland, 18 Jordan Crane, 19 Shane Jennings, 20 Frank Murphy, 21 Leon Lloyd, 22 Paul Burke

 

The obvious omissions from the side are Julian White and Daryl Gibson and their story is inter-twined. White picked up a neck injury against Worcester last week leaving coach Howard having to find a replacement. Michael Holford takes his place at tight-head but further front-row injuries have forced Howard to pick the Argentine Marcos Ayerza at 1. As Ayerza is not European qualified, Tigers have been forced to juggle their side to comply with the Premiership’s “one foreign player” rule. Thus Gibson makes way in the centres for Dan Hipkiss to make Tigers all legal and above board. Elsewhere, George Chuter and Andy Goode both return to the first XV as does captain Martin Corry in a tasty back-row.

 

Saints head coach Paul Grayson has named the following 22…

 

15 Robbie Kydd, 14 SEAN LAMONT, 13 Vaughan Going, 12 DAVID QUINLAN (capt), 11 BEN COHEN, 10 Luke Myring, 9 MARK ROBINSON; 1 TOM SMITH, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Pat Barnard, 4 Damien Browne, 5 Christian Short, 6 PAUL TUPAI, 7 Darren Fox, 8 Daniel Browne

Replacements:16 Dan Richmond, 17 Chris Budgen, 18 DAVID GERARD, 19 Ben Lewitt/Mark Easter, 20 Johnny Howard, 21 Ian Vass, 22 Rob Laird

 

Four changes then from the team that huffed and puffed for little reward against the Dragons. In the forwards, Paul Tupai returns following his suspension and his “in your face” style will be needed big-time on Saturday. In the backs, Luke Myring replaces Carlos Spencer at 10, Spencer having failed to shrug off a groin problem. A fit again Ben Cohen takes his place on the wing and new signing Vaughan Going will make his first start, hopefully providing experience and guile in the centres. Youngsters Paul Diggin and Chris Wyles make way respectively.

 

So, what to expect on Saturday afternoon? Above all else Saints need to raise their game if they hope to have any chance of a result. “Back to Basics” would have been my mantra out on the training pitches this week. It’s all very well having oodles of possession, driving up the centre of the park, but if we’re just going to throw the ball away when we try to move it out wide, quite frankly, what’s the point? Love the ball! Cherish it and keep it safe and we may get the result. It was soul destroying last week to realize that the man with the “softest” hands on the park in a Saints shirt was Tom Smith. Absolutely no disrespect to the big man but if he can look after the pill and make the assured pass, why can’t the backs?

 

Can Saints win? Of course they can but it’s a big ask. Tigers have only lost once away from home this season and Saints have only managed to turn their old rivals once in their last six attempts. If Saints can front up and put Leicester on the back foot we may take something out of the game. If we don’t, then it could be another very long afternoon.