Northampton Saints
News: Saints on the brink of home playoff Semi Final
By The Hon. Jeremy Peregrine Flashman
May 4 2014
Golly gosh, that was fun! Snuggled up to the Dowager Duchess of Cheddar (and, if all goes well, the future Lady Flashman) one was privileged to witness some of the finest athletes in world rugby crashing into each other and, just occasionally, getting away from their opponents to dot down for a try. But a draw!
Aviva Premiership Round 21
The Recreation Ground, 2 May 2014
Bath Rugby 19, Northampton Saints 19
Hard Fought Draw Leaves Saints On the Brink of Home Playoff Semi Final
By Flashman
To many a spectator, a draw is, well, neither one thing nor the other. A relief, yet a disappointment. A bit like opening a fine Premier Cru St Emilion, yet finding it corked. Like finding a pretty Thai girl who turns out to be a Lady Boy. Two league points rather than four.
For the first 25 minutes last night, Saints held sway, both in terms of possession and territory. Bath however, were not for yielding and a well-coached defence managed to repel countless Saints’ attacks, not helped by Saints runners taking the ball standing still for the most part. Mind you, Saints’ defence was equally as good
By the end of the first half hour, Bath, with an increasingly dominant scrum through their powerful front row, had kept the visitors in check and a scoreline of only 3-3 must have been seen as a positive by the home side, helped by Saints’ 10 Steve Myler uncharacteristically missing a drop goal and a penalty attempt.
By the break, George Ford and Myler had exchanged penalties, 6-6 as the half ended somewhat fractiously.
Courtney Lawes had been the dominant force in the loose for the visitors, whilst Bath loose head Paul James had been a real nuisance at the set piece whilst putting in a huge tackle count around the paddock.
Part Deux and Bath immediately went on the attack, with poor exit strategy by Saints to clear their lines resulting in a penalty to Ford, which he screwed well wide. No matter though, as Ford was over for a fine try moments later. Saints had dropped out long, too long, from the restart, Bath ran back and after barging runs from Houston and Attwood and with penalty advantage in their favour, Ford sensed a momentary lapse in the visitors’ defensive alignment and scampered through a gap on an angled run to score near the posts. The conversion was a formality.
13-6 to Bath after 47 minutes.
Bath were nearly in again from the restart but Saints managed to calm things down and move upfield, stealing a Bath lineout 20 metres out and winning a penalty for Batty coming in at the side.
Saints opted for the line out and drive and after countless phases left and right, a sublime little back flip pass to Jamie Elliott saw the winger over in the left corner. Myler sent a rifling conversion kick straight through the middle of the H.
13-13 after 54 minutes.
Then we had the departure of replacement hooker Batty and a 5 minute discussion on the touchline involving 4th official Wayne Barnes and ref Matthew Carley about uncontested scrums and that Bath would have to play on with only 14 men as Bath had run out of hookers. (I’m sure it never happened in Jane Austen’s day!). So after much debate, Bath brought Nathan Catt, a flanker, on as hooker so they could maintain 15 men.
First scrum a couple of minutes later and after 2 dropped scrums and resets, Tom Mercey was pinged and Bath win an unlikely penalty.
16-13 after 58 minutes.
Saints restart and Lawes took out Watson off the ball as Attwood caught the ball from the kick off. Yellow card!
Then at the next line out Saints failed to keep the gap despite the ref shouting at them and the free kick to Bath allowed them to attack with venom until Ash Rowden decided that Catt had taken a Saints player out off the ball as the visitors defended their line. Saints got themselves back upfield and nearly a piece of brilliance between the Pisi brothers (nearly because Ken’s slap back inside to George was just a bit forward!).
However, at the resultant scrum, Nathan Catt showed why he shouldn’t really have been on as a hooker as Saints drove and he popped up (or should that be “pooped”?). A good kick from Myler saw the scores level.
16-16 with 12 minutes left. Lawes re-joined the fray soon after.
With 5 minutes to go Saints lost a line out in their half due to a poor throw by Heywood and Bath attacked in waves, only a snatched drop goal attempt wide to the left saved Saints. Back came Bath after the restart and more pressure won a penalty for Ford to knock over from 40 plus metres out.
19-16 and just under 2 minutes left. Saints changed up a gear and attacking in the bath 22 saw a dangerous tackle from Perenise on Heywood led to a yellow card for the Bath player. Myler added the 3 points to bring the scores level.
19-19 after 78’52”
As Myler prepared for the kick after the clock re-started the ref announced that there were 1.08 minutes left and the game would restart. It did and as Bath aimed to move down the right flank, Ash Rowden flagged for foul play. It seemed that Lawes had taken Ford out off the ball and Bath players started celebrating that they would have a fairly easy kick at goal to win the match. Bath, thinking they had penalty advantage, played on and tried a drop goal which missed so the ref brought play back for the foul play.
The ref and assistant conversed and decided to ask the TMO. Graham in the Trailer had a shuftie and it was decided that Lawes had pulled out of a tackle as the ball was passed by Ford and the collision was accidental. As the clock was in the red zone, time to blow the big whistle and declare no side and the fans trooped of to the pub to debate proceedings.
Sadly, some of the home support hadn’t quite understood what had transpired at the end and some very unnecessary abuse of the officials accompanied their departure from the stage. Matthew Carley had a very good match in my opinion and managed the various odd situations, such as the uncontested scrums issue, well and concisely.
Saints march towards a Premiership home semi-final play-off with 2 points from this draw and a single point needed from the final match at home against Wasps to be absolutely certain of second place in the league. Of course, if Tigers fail to get 10 points from their last 2 games, Saints will still be second.
However, better execution and game management will be needed in the run in to cope with the other big teams in the semi and final, not to mention the Amlin Final. Saints were very good in parts but a lower penalty count and a better kick chase strategy are necessary to prosper. That and more speed in the attack runners hitting the ball to breach good defences, such as Bath’s, are needed.
Still, it’s better to be at the top looking down rather than at the mucky end of the stick.
And, whatever happens to the Recreation Ground development plans, let’s hope it stays where it is in one of the most welcoming rugby towns in England.
Teams:
Bath Rugby: Abendanon; Watson, Joseph, Devoto, Banahan; Ford, Young; James, Webber, Wilson; Hooper (capt), Attwood, Fearns, Mercer, Houston.
Replacements: Agulla for Watson (72), Henson for Devoto (71), Stringer for Young (63), Batty for Webber (16), Perenise for Wilson (54), Day for Attwood (71), Catt for Batty (54).
Not Used: Faosiliva.
Northampton: Foden; K Pisi, G Pisi, Burrell, Elliott; Myler, Fotuali'i; Waller, McMillan, Ma'afu; Manoa, Lawes; Clark, Wood (capt), Dickinson.
Replacements: Denman for A. Waller (71), Haywood for McMillian (54), Mercey for Ma'afu (54), Craig for Manoa (54), Dowson for Clark (54).
Not Used: A. Day, Wilson, Collins.
Stephen Myler says:
and Jim Says:
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Great report with thanks and my respects to the Dowager Duchess.
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
But I probably relate more to "A relief, yet a disappointment."
Excellent report Flashman. Thank you.
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