Gloucester v Northampton - ZP Preview


By Chris G
November 1 2002

On Saturday the Gold Black n Green hordes take heed of those immortal words from the Pet Shop Boys and 'Go West!'. The game on paper has all the makings of a classic encounter, be there......

Gloucester
v
Saints

Kingsholm
Saturday 2nd November2002
 3:00 Kickoff
Zurich Premiership

Now comes the big test for the Saints. A trip to Kingsholm to play the form horses of the ZP, Gloucester. The Cherry and Whites have been going great guns are were undefeated until last week when they went narrowly down to Wasps while playing with only 14 men for most of the game. Along the way this season they have also shed the tag of the divisions bad travellers as they have racked up wins both home and away. Anyone that doubts their form need only look at the crushing defeat of Munster in the European to see that on paper the Saints are up against it tomorrow. A win however could take us to the top of the table.

So just how formidable are Gloucester? Well like any team from that area of the world its all built on awesome forward power.
With Vickery, Azam and Woodman in the front and Paramore, Boer and Forrester in the back rows they are plainly a handy outfit but their lineout could be their achilles heal.

At halfback there will be a battle for the England shirt between Andy Gomersall and Matt Dawson but Saints back row could have a big say in this department if they can break down the Boer, Paramore, Forrester defence of Gomersall. The same however could be said of protection for Matt D with Mr Paramore especially not being on the scrumhalfs list of favourite people whilst on the pitch (although i'm sure they exchange Xmas cards off it) while Andy Blowers will no doubt remember the illegal blow that took him out of the corresponding fixture last year when the two Samoans clashed.

Looking past the front nine both Larry and Ludovic Mercier are very much in the same mould. Neither is viewed as an exciting playmaker but make up for this ably with the boot. In the centre the Fanolua, Todd partnership is robust to say the least whilst outside they can call on Englands rising stars Garvey and Simpson-Daniel.

Then as a last line of defence should Saints get in and put it about a bit behind the Gloucester pack is Delport the Springbok.

Its a tough one but if the Saints can produce the form that took Wasps apart and they get in early to rattle Gomersall and Mercier a result is possible but at Kingsholm thats a big big call.


 TEAM NEWS

Smudger has rested livewire Oriol Ripol and Shed favourite Jon Sleightholme returns to the starting lineup.
Jorgy is still out injured so Mark Tucker continues to partner John Leslie in the centre.

In the forwards Steve Williams plays for Wales against Romania tonight tonight so the ever dependable Jon Phillips, who has been playing his best rugby in years steps up to partner Deso Connors in the second row.

Saints:

15 NICK BEAL
14 JON SLEIGHTHOLME
13 Mark Tucker
12 JOHN LESLIE (capt)
11 BEN COHEN
10 PAUL GRAYSON
9 MATT DAWSON
1 TOM SMITH
2 STEVE THOMPSON
3 Robbie Morris
4 Jon Phillips
5 MARK CONNORS
6 ANDREW BLOWERS
7 BUDGE POUNTNEY
8 Grant Seely

Replacements:
16 Chris Budgen
17 MATT STEWART
18 Rob Hunter
19 Mark Soden
20 Johnny Howard
21 James Brooks
22 Chris Hyndman

Gloucesters Nigel Melville has announced the following squad.

Tom Beim
Thinus Delport
Terry Fanolua
Marcel Garvey
Andy Gomarsall
Ludovic Mercier
Henry Paul
James Simpson-Daniel
Clive Stuart-Smith
Robert Todd
Olivier Azam
Jake Boer
Peter Buxton
Mark Cornwell
Andy Deacon
Adam Eustace
James Forrester
Chris Fortey
Junior Paramore
Ed Pearce
Phil Vickery
Trevor Woodman


LAST SEASON

 An open day defeat for the Saints at Kingsholm but a demolition later in the season of the Cherry and Whites at the Gardens.

The game at Kingsholm

The game at the Gardens

HISTORY

The clubs first met over a hundred years ago in the 1898-99 season, an 18-8 win for the Cherry & Whites. They have met over a hundred times since. In the nineties Glos dominated proceedings but the Saints are now going through a purple patch with four wins out of five over the West Country men.

 However the game we looked back to this week took place in 1992 .

From the Archives - Goucester v Saints 1992




ANNE O’RACKS STATS

Played 19
Gloucester Won 11 57.9%
Saints Won 8 42.1%
Drawn 0 0%
Biggest Win for Gloucester 25 - 9 30 Oct 1999
Biggest Win for Saints 58 - 21 13 Apr 2002
Gloucester top try scorer vs Saints Simon Mannix 3 tries
Gloucester top points scorer vs Saints Mark Mapletoft 66 points
Saints top try scorer vs Gloucester Harvey Thorneycroft 3 tries
Saints top points scorer vs Gloucester Paul Grayson 109 points

Previous Meetings

13 Apr 2002 Gloucester vs Saints 21 - 58 Franklin's Gardens
01 Sep 2001 Gloucester vs Saints 22 - 9 Kingsholm
27 Dec 2000 Gloucester vs Saints 12 - 15 Kingsholm
16 Dec 2000 Gloucester vs Saints 15 - 34 Franklin's Gardens
11 Mar 2000 Gloucester vs Saints 11 - 35 Kingsholm
30 Oct 1999 Gloucester vs Saints 25 - 9 Franklin's Gardens
16 May 1999 Gloucester vs Saints 43 - 31 Kingsholm
31 Oct 1998 Gloucester vs Saints 8 - 22 Franklin's Gardens
17 May 1998 Gloucester vs Saints 24 - 22 Franklin's Gardens
14 Feb 1998 Gloucester vs Saints 20 - 15 Kingsholm
03 May 1997 Gloucester vs Saints 27 - 25 Franklin's Gardens
04 Mar 1997 Gloucester vs Saints 19 - 6 Kingsholm
15 Apr 1995 Gloucester vs Saints 14 - 13 Kingsholm
22 Oct 1994 Gloucester vs Saints 6 - 9 Franklin's Gardens
09 Apr 1994 Gloucester vs Saints 3 - 19 Franklin's Gardens
20 Nov 1993 Gloucester vs Saints 19 - 14 Kingsholm
13 Mar 1993 Gloucester vs Saints 21 - 16 Franklin's Gardens
14 Mar 1992 Gloucester vs Saints 10 - 17 Kingsholm
09 Mar 1991 Gloucester vs Saints 7 - 6 Franklins Gardens



AND FINALLY..........

The last word goes to WestMidsSaint

Theres a storm a' brewing lads......

There's many a tale of heroic deeds
That're oft to young children told
But a story, no doubt, beyond all compare
Is of Hurricane Blowers the Bold.

It's a tale to send shivers down every spine
And hair stands on end while abed
A tale to make rosy cheeked Gloucester folk weep
When the Hurricane blew down the Shed.

Such legends were heard of the might of Kingsholm
Where the Cherry & Whites supped their ale
They had vanquished all foes for many a year
So were under prepared for the gale.

Arriving at lunchtime, the second, November
The storm, of which locals were warned
But Melville's marauders were brimmed to the top
With confidence as the day dawned.

The signs, were quite plain from a quarter to three
As Saint Andrew warmed up for the game.
The shed heads, as usual, were giving it lip
"The boys from Northampton look tame"

But if only they'd pondered, looked with more care
They'd have seen what all Jimmies knew
'Cos by three o'clock, when the first whistle went
The Hurricane just blew and blew.

As the rains pelted down, just like the Shed
The Gloucester defence sprung a leak.
And the crowd of refined, self effacing young men
Were shocked and could no longer speak.

Andrew scored in the corner, he scored at the posts
And won all loose balls on the ground
By the end of the game the shed had no roof
And those West Country boys all looked drowned.

In defeat they were gracious as Rugby folk are
As they slowly trooped out of the door
But was it the weather - or Northampton Saints?
It was Hurricane Andrew for sure!


WMS (alive and kicking)
Visit the Gloucester SportNetwork site
.

Bookmark or share this story with: