By Rich
February 17 2003

A Saints XV, missing many key players, took apart the South African Super 12 side the Golden Cats. It was a shame more Saints fans didn’t attend because as the steam rose from both packs this was a great night for Northampton rugby. The team was labelled a Saints XV originally because it was to be collaboration between Saints, Leeds and Wasps. However the side that took the field was all Northampton but was really a beefed up wanderers as notable names such as Morris, Thompson, Stewart, Smith, Williams, Connors, Blowers, Dawson and Cohen missing. John Leslie, Grant Seely and Matt Lord started on the bench, as did a trio of players from Bedford including Spencer Brown, Ben Whetstone and our own Ali Hepher. In addition to the names the positions weren’t as usual either with Reihana at outside centre and James Brooks given a rare start in his favoured position at stand off or as coach for the night Brendan ‘Rats’ Ratcliffe would say 1st five eighth. And it was Rats who explained the team rationale in the shortened programme notes: He said that it was so that all the squad of ‘saintsmen’ had a chance to participate, a belief that they were up to the challenge and because they believed that the ‘backbone’ of the club, the supporters, would rather see their own players. He also predicted that the Cats would be ‘strong…strong’.

The Golden cats were also under strength in their starting XV with Springboks Bobby Skinstad, James Dalton, Andre Pretorius and Adrian Jacobs starting from the bench.

To the game and as predicted by Rats the Cats started very strongly. They had pace and power that looked like it could blow the Saints XV off the park. However the home side defended well and by the 21st minute the Super 12 side only had a try from Friedrich Lombard and a penalty from Kennedy Tsimba to show for their efforts. Saints were playing like a team in awe of their opponents but with every tackle, every stolen ball and good work in the scrum and line out their own self-belief grow.

Impressive breaks from Oriol Ripol and Jon Sleightholme saw the expectation rise amongst the home faithful as Saints started to string together good phases of possession. It was the Spanish International who made the break through to score a well deserved try. He was showing the sort of form we saw in September and looks again like a man to terrify defences when the pitches harden up. Reihana missed the conversion to make the half time score 5-8.

Into the second half and the Saints started proceedings like ‘hats on wheels!’ Chris Budgen bundled over for his first of the night and the makeshift Saints were ahead 12-8. Brucie bonus got the conversion with his two steps and bang kicking style.

Then the pack went on an ‘up the jumper rumble’ eating up the yards and for once the Cats could not stop them through fair means or foul. Budgen was having the match of his Northampton career when he emerged from the base to score his 2nd. Reihana converted again and it was 19-8.

This couldn’t continue. On would come the Cats big guns to save the day in much the same was as the Sharks came from behind to overwhelm the Quins. Surely the Saints XV would see their lead diminish. Not a bit of it. Dalton came off the bench first but could do nothing about Brooks’ rugby league style ‘dab’ which made a monkey of the defence for Tucker to dive on loose ball behind the Cats goal line. Reihana converted 26-8.

Then again minutes later Beal, who despite criticism, had passed beautifully all night went over after the Saints backs had turned on the style. Brucie was spot on again and Saints lead was now 33-8.

More names poured off the bench with Skinstad and Pretorius joining the fray to no effect. Saints also used their bench, giving the entire playing squad a run out. Notable for the Saints was the introduction of sevens medal winner Johnny Howard. The young scrum half replaced the slightly more experienced Vass who’d had an excellent game and produced a very high quality game of his own.

The Cats threw everything into rescuing the game but to no avail as time and time again their attacks were halted by a spirited and committed Saints XV defence. Final amazing Garden’s score line: Saints select XV 33 – Golden Cats 8.

So what does this result mean? Well firstly we can shove this result right into the faces of anyone blathering on about the superiority of the Super 12. Bobby Skinstad was reported to say that Northampton are one of six premiership teams who could survive in the Super 12, he also said they lost because the game was very different to sides they are used to playing. It could also be argued that the Cats are pre-season and are not yet match fit. I say this was one helluva’ night for Northampton Rugby and that everyone should be very proud of the squads performance. The only negative was the size of the crowd. For all those who missed the game; you missed something really special. However the faithful of around 4000 (my estimate) did their best to make up for your absence.