By Wordsmith Entry H
January 23 2007

Sophie Raworth: And now it's over to Phil Slope in Paris, where Northampton Saints have just beaten Harlequins to win the 2008 Heineken European Cup...

 

Phil Slope: Thankyou Sophie, you lascivious flibertigibbet. Those who predicted a turgid and ultimately bootless battle between two robustious packs proved less than prescient, as Carlos Spencer, who has just signed a 1000-year contract with Saints, led his team-mates on a gambol through the defensive lines of their piebald opponents. The kicking tee proved to be something of a vade mecum for the Kiwi 10 in the first half, as the argus-eyed referee penalised Quins for numerous acts of perfidy, and Spencer showed that the use of other goal kickers in the past had been suppositious.

 

Quins supporters saw a try in the second half as a sign of a nascent resurgence, but this proved to be apocryphal as they were unable to stanch the flow of points from Northampton, and their bid to efface the Saints' lead was given up with a weary pule. The machination and insouciant demeanour which inhere to the Northampton coaching staff was the major travail facing Dean Richards, and a second Heineken Cup will join the growing number of items of virtu in the Northampton trophy cabinet.

 

And now back to the studio...