By Hoddros
October 15 2006

Leicester Tigers and their many followers tootled down the A508 in confident mood yesterday, probably expecting to ‘kick ass.’ Well they kicked 5 penalties and just about deserved to win this local derby. They did get a game though, and they may just have helped to revitalise Saints’ season.

 

Guinness Premiership round 5 - 14th October 2006

Northampton Saints 10 v Leicester Tigers 15

 

 

When Johnson and Back retired a little of the spiciness seemed to go from our local encounters, but it returned yesterday as both teams tore into each other from beginning to end.

 

Having been away for the last three weeks I had to resort to internet radio commentary and COYSDC chatroom facilities. In this time we lost three games, badly. The club and certain individuals endured some harsh words by many of its most faithful supporters. It seems we were lacking in basic skills, game plans and, most heinously, conviction. What we needed was a volatile reactant to stoke the old fires, and Leicester Tigers arrived just in time.

 

The sun shoved the morning mist away and FG was humming. The superfluous Van Gelis successfully drowned out the traditional welcome but the Gordon Terrace is compiled of hardy souls who still give it their best. And their best is what they gave.

 

Both teams were ready for this and early on the collisions were hard and heavy. After three minutes Saints had an overlap on the left but the pass was just in front of Ben and a scoring opportunity was lost. The start was fast and frenetic with little control. Saints conceded a penalty on their 10 yard line and Andy Goode calmly slotted it home. It should have been a warning to Saints, but it wasn’t heeded.

 

Tigers were pushing hard but defensively Saints looked solid with Quinlan prominent. Out of the blue Vaughan Going received a yellow card on 9 minutes. I shall have to take the Wenger Amendment as I didn’t see it. Someone nearby us alleged that it looked like a spear tackle so the dreaded 13 shirt will no doubt find another victim soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going Tackles Geordan Murphy

- Picture Courtesy David Davies/PA

 

Goode again slotted the ball home from the same spot. Goode was having a lively time of things and seemed happy to run at the Saints back line to commit tacklers. He kicked to touch after another penalty and Leicester won their lineout. They drove right up to the line before Chris White gave another penalty, presumably for collapsing? Goode once again drove it home.

 

Saints reply came on 19 minutes. Confusion after a lineout and Bemand’s box kick was charged down by Sharky who then raced on to down the ball for a try. Allegedly.

 

Kydd scuffed the conversion leaving it 5-9.

 

At this stage Ben and Sharky were prominent amongst the backs. Ben took his own throw-in and belted a Bealer from his own 22 to Leicester’s. There was much back-slapping as Saint tried to build their momentum. Tiger’s players were getting injured and they started to receive ironic jeers around the ground. Whether the treatment of these injuries was overlong or not it did help to suppress the Saints who were dominant at this stage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Cohen was everywhere

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Foolishly Saints gave away another penalty for Dan Browne pulling down in the lineout and Goode converted from his favourite spot on the 10 yard line. Saints missed a chance to get closer when Kydd scuffed a penalty wide of the post. Robbie looks great with the ball in hand but he must sharpen up his kicking, especially from hand. The score remained at 5-12 till half time but several scuffles broke out and Chris White was happy to call the break. It was heartening to see such determination from Saints players, but penalties were killing us. Those we conceded and those that we failed to convert.

 

The half time pint was enjoyed in comfort though most felt that Tigers would open up in the second half and the expected drubbing would ensue. Pessimists, all of us.

 

Hipkiss got an early yellow for blatantly knocking the ball out of Ben’s hands. Saints turned up the volume and scored a classic try. It all went so quickly from hand to hand that I lost track of it. Kydd and Ben were certainly involved as Ben counter-attacked down the left. They traded passes before making space for Toops to storm home and got as close to the posts as possible. Not close enough though as Luke Myring missed the conversion. Myring then missed another chance as a penalty went wide as well.

 

Ben was still in hyperventilating mode and ripped into a tackle on one of the Tigers backs (sorry didn’t see who – there were replacements on now and I was losing track)

 

The game was very close and tense, and could have gone either way. Was this the same Saints side that had succumbed so feebly in the last few games?

 

When Tigers went back to VI they started to dominate. A series of lineouts put Saints under huge pressure and a few penalties ensued. Chris White warned Quinnell that he is tiring of it. We finally challenged their lineout and in the confusion (Toops – I think, or may have been Gerard) turned the ball over and Myring kicks to touch. It ended a prolonged spell of pressure and Saints were lucky not to take another yellow.

 

Leon Lloyd should have killed the game when presented with an overlap. Instead of drawing his man and then passing he chose the glory route and was tackled. Not long after this Ben Cohen produced a blinding piece of never-say-die magic when he somehow managed to force Bemand to knock on mid flight after the scrum half had worked a nice break in the defence and was diving for the try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Cohen Saves the try

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tigers closed the game down with a succession of injuries and tactical kicking. The handshakes at the end were ones of relief. As for Leicester I don’t tend to look at the opposition too much but Goode had a good game I thought. Both teams had given their all and the better team just about won on the day, but they sure had to work for it.

 

That in itself is progress. It cannot be a regular occurrence to see so many contented Saints supporters after a defeat to Leicester, but times have been a bit grim recently and in this game we may have seen some Saintsmen rediscovering themselves. There were highly committed displays from all the players but I particularly noted Ben, Foxy, Sharky and Dylan.

 

Above all though was Paul Tupai. Whilst I may be accused of looking for defining moments, there was a point in the first half when Toops took a blow to the head. He could hardly stand steady and the trainer seemed certain to walk him off. He steadfastly refused and groggily returned to battle. Toops had a storming game. This attitude was evident in all Saints players yesterday; nobody could be accused of lacking heart this time.

Bring on Biarritz; I think we are ready again. Especially if we can find a kicker.