By Chris G
November 22 2002

Words like crucial and pivotal are being banded about the club in respect of this game as the Saints throw everything and the new kitchen sink at Quins to get their season back on track.

Well the club are building this up as the 'pivotal and 'crucial' game of the season after three straight defeat s at the hands of Glous, Tigers and Tykes leaves the ZP campaign in the balance. But yet again to international demands we lose the cream of the crop and once dear friends the youngsters who did so well at Leeds step into the breech to hole up the wall.

Read the Quins Preview

From the Chron
John Leslie - Pivotal
Brendan 'Rats' Ratcliffe - Crucial

TEAM NEWS

The Saints have named a depleted 22 man team Steve Thompson, Matt Dawson, Ben Cohen and Robbie Morris, who will hopefully win his first cap are away with England while Tam Smith and Budge Pountney are away North of the Border.

Missing through illness or injury are Mark Connors, Jorgy, Matt Stewart, Steve Williams and Grant Seeely amongst others.

Chris Hyndman makes his first start for two years in the centre pairing up with John Leslie while Bruce Reihana making his first start at the Gardens reverts to the wing. On the bench Matt Lord will be waiting to make his home debut in the Gold, Black n Green,

15 NICK BEAL
14 JON SLEIGHTHOLME
13 Chris Hyndman
12 JOHN LESLIE (capt)
11 BRUCE REIHANA
10 PAUL GRAYSON
9 Johnny Howard
1 Brett Sturgess
2 Dan Richmond
3 Chris Budgen
4 Jon Phillips
5 Rob Hunter
6 ANDREW BLOWERS
7 Darren Fox
8 Mark Soden

Replacements
16 Matt Miles
17 Kelvin Todd
18 Matt Lord
19 Simon Hepher
20 Ian Vass
21 ORIOL RIPOL
22 James Brooks

Quins, again without several internationals have named the following side.

15 Nathan Williams
14 Matt Moore
13 Rob Jewell
12 Andy Reay
11 Ben Gollings
10 Paul Burke
9 Scott Bemand
1 Bruce Starr
2 Tani Fuga
3 Laurent Gomez
4 Bill Davison
5 Alex Codling
6 Andre Vos (capt)
7 Luke Sherriff
8 Tony Diprose

Replacements:
16 Pablo Cardinali
17 Jim Evans
18 James Hayter
19 Kai Horstmann
20 Matthew Powell
21 Ugo Monye
22 Seb Fitzgerald



LAST SEASON

An acrimonious game with Matt Dawson being targetted early on and having to leave the field.
The Saints fought back to gain a creditable draw in an all round bad game.

And in 2000
And in 1998

And that Cup Final in 1991



HISTORY

The clubs first met over a hundred years ago in the 1896-97 season, a 6-6 draw at Northampton.
The clubs have met over 100 times since including an extraordinary 0-0 draw in 1952 and the 25-13 Pilkington Cup win for the Quins at Twickenham in 1991. (See above)

The game we look back to this week took place in
January 1998 at the Stoop

Saints Squash
Queasy Quins

Quins 5 Saints 30
Sunday 18th January 1998
The Stoop
Allied Dunbar Premiership

The Saints keep marching on as they outplayed an out
of sorts Quins side in every department. Captain Tim
Rodber opted to play into a strong wind in the first half
but the dominant Saints did not allow the conditions to
influence their game.

Harlequins started well but as soon as they lost
possession the visitors took control and continually
took the game to the home side. After twelve minutes
of constant pressure Ian Hunter finally found the gap
and sent Gregor Townsend over for the first try of the
afternoon. Paul Grayson failed with the conversion but
added two further penalties in difficult conditions to
send the Saints in 11-0 up at half time.

Quins came out like a train at the start of the second
period and gained a try from former London Broncos
star Tulsen Tollet.

From the restart they nearly went over again before
the Saints cleared the ball to Grayson.
The fly half kicked a perfectly weighted ball
(or did it hold up in the mud) for Jon Sleightholme
who sprinted 50 metres to beat Dan Luger to the spoils.

Sleightholme dribbled the ball then cleverly picked up
to score in the corner. Then, for a second week running,
the Matt Allen try show hit the road. His first came again
after constant pressure created the gap for Allen to
sneak through.

The second was a gift as Quins lost the ball in their
own 22 to an unmarked Allen who sauntered over the
line under the posts. Grayson converted both tries to
give the Saints another comprehensive win.

Coach Ian McGeechan described the first half
performance as the best yet since he took over the
reigns of the club three years ago and it seems that
we supporters finally have a team that can
take on the best and beat them.

Northampton Saints
Ian Hunter (17, Andy Northey) , Jon Sleightholme (13-21, Jonathan Bell) , Gregor Townsend, Matt Allen, Harvey Thorneycroft, Paul Grayson, Matt Dawson, Garry Pagel, Allen Clarke, Mattie Stewart, Jon Phillips, Jason Chandler, Grant Seely, Tim Rodber (76, Jonathan Wright) , Budge Pountney,

Harlequins
Scott Stewart, Rob Liley, Tulsen Tollett, Johnny Ngauamo (40, Jason Keyter) , Dan Luger, Paul Challinor, Nick Walshe (53, Huw Harries) , Jason Leonard, Keith Wood, Alan Yates, Gareth Llewellyn, Bill Davison, Rory Jenkins, Adam Leach, Laurent Cabannes,



ANNE O’RACKS STATS


Results Summary in the Premiership

Played 19
Saints Won 10 52.6%
Harlequins Won 8 42.1%
Drawn 1 5.3%
Biggest Win for Saints 30 - 5 18 Jan 1998
Biggest Win for Harlequins 36 - 16 30 Apr 1997
Saints top try scorer vs Harlequins Alistair Hepher 5 tries
Saints top points scorer vs Harlequins Paul Grayson 94 points
Harlequins top try scorer vs Saints Ben Gollings 5 tries
Harlequins top points scorer vs Northampton Saints Paul Burke 29 points


Last Meetings

26 Jan 2002 Saints vs Harlequins 24 - 16 The Stoop
09 Nov 2001 Saints vs Harlequins 13 - 13 Franklin's Gardens
23 Dec 2000 Saints vs Harlequins 34 - 25 The Stoop
06 Sep 2000 Saints vs Harlequins 27 - 20 Franklin's Gardens
19 Apr 2000 Saints vs Harlequins 17 - 29 The Stoop
02 Oct 1999 Saints vs Harlequins 29 - 27 Franklin's Gardens
16 Jan 1999 Saints vs Harlequins 24 - 17 The Stoop
12 Sep 1998 Saints vs Harlequins 25 - 6 Franklin's Gardens
18 Jan 1998 Saints vs Harlequins 30 - 5 The Stoop
23 Aug 1997 Saints vs Harlequins 23 - 26 Franklin's Gardens
30 Apr 1997 Saints vs Harlequins 16 - 36 The Stoop
28 Sep 1996 Saints vs Harlequins 15 - 20 Franklin's Gardens
25 Mar 1995 Saints vs Harlequins 9 - 10 The Stoop
08 Oct 1994 Saints vs Harlequins 16 - 23 Franklin's Gardens
12 Mar 1994 Saints vs Harlequins 15 - 14 Franklin's Gardens
09 Oct 1993 Saints vs Harlequins 7 - 15 The Stoop
21 Nov 1992 Saints vs Harlequins 12 - 7 The Stoop
11 Jan 1992 Saints vs Harlequins 25 - 14 Franklin's Gardens
17 Nov 1990 Saints vs Harlequins 6 - 21 The Stoop


How to get here:

Road: From the South: Leave M1 at junction 15A and follow signs towards Sixfields, past the Sixfields Stadium on the right to the major roundabout. Take right turn onto A4500 for the Town Centre. Follow signs to Saints car park.

From the North: Exit M1 at junction 16 and follow the A45 to Northampton and follow signs to Town Centre at major traffic island. Then directions as for the South.

Rail: Be aware that up to Christmas between London and Northampton there is sever disruption to the line with a bus service between Hemel Hempstead and Bletchley.

If you do take the train. Turn right out of station. Follow road past the Thomas A Beckett public house, (pop in and buy me one!) Church's shoe factory and the bus station into a shopping area where you will see yellow signs to Saints car park.

AND FINALLY

As ever the last word goes to WestMidsSaint

The Diamond Sneezers Travel Oop T' Grim North

On Saturday down at the Gardens
As you queue in the bar for your booze
You're likely to see some strange people
All dressed up in really odd trews.

They'll look like a lost delegation
Of chefs from a greasy spoon caff
But if you approach them quite carefully
You might even get them to laff.

'Cos though they've an obvious aversion
To being wound up on their site.
If you smile at them nicely and nod while they speak
Diamond Geezers are all quite polite.

But then again p'raps you won't see them
'cos they know that defeat is in store.
And any way they'll never find us
As their Geography's really quite poor.

They think that Nuthamtun's oop north you know
And Jimmies walk round in flat caps
But Quinnies should all do some homework
And study their ordnance maps.

So Quinnies you're welcome, as always
To the town near where rugby was born
But there's one little thing I must ask you
Please - DON'T BRING THAT BL**DY CAR HORN!!!!!!!!!

WMS