By Jon Whitefield
December 9 2009

Saints take a break from the Guinness Premiership this weekend and return to European ways. Saturday sees part one of a vital home/away double-header against Italian Champions Benetton Treviso and Jon in "somewhere really exotic" takes a look ahead at what we might expect from the boys in Green Black and Gold...

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs BENETTON TREVISO

HEINEKEN CUP Rd3 – Saturday, 12^th December 2009

FRANKLIN’S GARDENS, 3pm

MATCH PREVIEW

Buoyed by the success of my last preview (the Sarries ECC semi final), I've decided to take the team's fate  in my hands once again. This time the opponents are from the north of Italy, Benetton Rugby Treviso. Since the Sarries preview, I've managed to find a great site with loads of ECC and HC stats on there, and have tried to get a load in here. So now... sit back, fall asleep, and at least pretend you're paying attention!

Treviso – the city

Just because I like the history, I wanted to give a bit of blurb about the town. However, I'm sure there will be more about the city of Treviso in the away preview... The city has slightly more history than Northampton, becoming its own distinct city in 89AD. Rumour has it that it was spared by Attila the Hun, was the birthplace of one of the Goth leaders during the Gothic Wars, and was a border capital under the orders of Charlemagne.

Treviso – the team

Treviso were formed in 1932, but did not become Benetton Treviso until 1979. At this point, they had already won a national cup, and two Italian league trophies. Their wait for silverware was nowhere near as long as Saints – they won their first league trophy only 20 years after they were founded. They have now become a dominant force in the Super 10, having won 6 times since 2000, including last season.

In the Super 10 this year, Treviso are currently top again, having won 7 out of 9, including a 37-19 win against L'Aquila last weekend. Their losses are both games against the Italian teams in Northampton's history – a narrow 13-12 defeat against Parma, and 22-6 against Viadana. Interestingly, both these games were away from home. Treviso, like the Saints, have not lost at home this year.

Despite doing well domestically, Treviso, like many of the Italian sides, have been seen as easy points in the European games. They have played in Europe in every season, dropping in to the Challenge Cup twice. They have played 68 games since the 1995/96 season, winning 16 and losing 52. The heaviest loss was against Wasps in 2006 – they went down 71-5. However, they can dish out heavy results too. Treviso beat Farul Constanta of Romania 86-8 in their first European season.

This year, Treviso stunned the European rugby community by beating Perpignan 9 - 8. However, they couldn't follow it up, and went down to Munster 10 – 41 at Thomond Park. These results leave them in 4th in Pool 1. Treviso's overall away record is 5 wins, 29 losses. They have posted 4 wins against English opposition, and recorded 13 losses.

One last point of “interest” are their previous players, including former All Black (and one time Italy coach) John Kirwan, Michael Lynagh, Michael Horak, and notable Italian stars, Alessandro Troncon, and both Bergamascos. Currently, they have 9 players in the Italy squad, covering most positions – a hooker, a prop, a lock, a flanker, a scrumhalf, a fly half, a winger, a centre and a full back. Oh, and one other player to make note of... Former Saint Andy Vilk is on the books.

Northampton – stats time!

I don't need to do any background to the Saints, as (I hope) we all know what's been going on! But, if you've been living in a hole, then Saints are currently 3rd in the GP, played 9, won 7 (including all home games). Last week, fresh in our memory, was Ashton's brace against Bath. Last minute, but a win none the less. In the Anglo-Welsh thingy, I had to invent a new type of calculus to work out that we're top of our group, winning 2 out of 2.

In Europe, Saints have played in both competitions, indeed winning both. But everybody knew that. It was at this point where I was going to put win/loss numbers, but the stats on my site are wrong! Apparently we've only played 28 games in Europe... and that's not right, given that we got a little prize for Munster being our 50th HC game! In that game, just in case you forgot, Saints beat Munster 31 – 27, in a match that had people calling it the best game ever. The following week they lost 29 - 13 away in Perpignan. These results leave us 3^rd in pool 1.

Saints have played Italian teams four times. Viadana went down 47 - 25 at the Gardens in 2005/06, and 20 - 0 in Italy. The following season, 2006/07, Parma lost 21 - 68 in Parma, and 36 - 0 in Northampton. However, Saints have never faced Treviso in any competition, but have played them several times in pre-season friendlies. So let's look at those.

August 2008: Saints 66 – 0, at Franklins Gardens. Saints score 10 tries (Ashton 2, Downey 2, Dickson 2, Gray, Reihana, Dickens, PT)

August 2006: Saints 68 - 0, at Franklins Gardens. Another 10 tries, but I can't find who scored them!

August 2005 Saints lost 5-22, at Stadio Communale di Monigo. Incidentally, we also played Munster in that season's friendlies... not something I'll dwell on – last time we had Treviso and Munster in the same season, Treviso beat us!

Prediction

Well, Saints have lost once at the Gardens in forty two games. Saints have never lost to Italian opposition. Saints have averaged 67 points against Treviso at FG. Treviso have only won 5 times (15%) away from home, and 76% of their games against English opposition have been a loss. I think I'll stick my neck out and say a Saints win. However, with this pool being so close, this must be a game where we get a try bonus point. Having said that, given Treviso's upset of Perpignan, let's make sure that we get the win first...

According to the ERC Rugby site, our biggest win in Europe was 66 points, twice. Once against Nice in 1997, and also against Bristol in 2008. It'd be nice if we could attempt to beat that!

Saints by lots, with more than four tries.