By Mark H
August 17 2003

Rewind to Henley, 10th August 2003. Five minutes after being beaten by a highly effective and skilful Army side in the final, Mark Tucker commented “we’ll win it next week”. Fast forward six days to West London, and the Middlesex Sevens. Fast forward six days to west London, and the Middlesex Sevens. With the Henley 12 now down to a Twickers 10 (James Brooks and Ben Russell missing out), the hopes of the thousand-plus travelling support were high, but there was always the thought in the back of the head - had the lessons that we had been told were learnt in midweek sunk in?

In what was as attractive a match as many had thought it would be, the pre-tournament favourites beat the second favourites, the Army overcoming Gloucester 33-24. The bookies weren’t that far out - Gloucester would go on to win the Plate competition later in the day. Victories followed for Leeds (squeezing past Quins), Young England (destroying London Irish), Newcastle (doing the same to Loughborough Uni), and Saracens (in a to and fro against Sale).

The time had come. Most people’s first view of Saints since May, and the volume in the East Stand was cranked up to let people know (especially the small Tiggers following next to us), that we were loud and we were here! The menu set before us said Rotherham, and Saints decided to feast well on the northern delicacy, pressing hard and early. As the ball was heading for touch, a magical blind twenty yard pass from Shane Drahm was gathered by Grant Seely, fed back and the highlighted Johnny Howard provided the first highlight of the day by bursting through the gap and going under the posts.

Oriol’s quick tap and stroll round the defence provided try two (you’d have thought that of all teams, Roth would know what he could do) and a 14-0 lead, before Roth pulled one back through the excellent Phil Jones. And the Leicester fans started cheering. That would prove to be a rare event indeed…

Howard’s second try meant a 21-5 half time lead, and then early tries were swapped as Jones got another for Roth before the Snitch produced a solo effort down the tramline, before cutting in and going under the posts. Mark Tucker replaced an injured Bealer, and proceeded to start and finish a move from deep to seal the game. Two late Roth tries didn’t affect the result, and Saints were into the quarter-final against Sarries.

There was still more first round entertainment to come though, as those nice people from the pretty city saw off Wasps in extra time - further proof of their status as a sleeping giant and why they’ll win the ZP this season? - before the late additions from London Welsh picked up some toothless tigers and found themselves with another game against Bath. It was good to hear a very short rendition of Land Of My Fathers (I don’t think anyone knew the words) and even better to hear the abuse directed at their own team from the dedicated furry people. If that’s how they are now, then the words “long”, “hard” and “season” may well feature in the coming months.

Quarter-final time, and two strolls to start off with. The Army saw off Leeds, followed by Newcastle ending Young England’s involvement. Point of interest in the first match was not the ease of the Army win, but the last move of the match. Tykes’ Matt Cardey was allowed to run clear from the 22 as one of the many Fijians ran alongside him, appearing to let Cardey score - so he walked into touch. This “you can score, but be aware that we’re letting you” moment just indicated a moment of cockiness, and we pondered whether it would come back to haunt them.

The starting seven for Saints showed only one change (Tucker in for Beal, the rest being Reihana, Drahm, Blowers, Howard, Seely and Ripol), and the start was very similar not only to the Roth match, but to the fat boys game against Sarries last week - three first half tries and a chance to sit back. Lucky recipient of the three final passes was Mark Tucker - can anyone else remember a Saints player scoring a first half hat-trick at HQ before, because I can’t! Just as in the fat boys game, Sarries then scored a try straight from the restart, but with respect to all of our lot, we didn’t have anyone with the Snitch’s pace (fourth try) or Brucie’s nous (try five) to extend the lead and make it comfortable. A sixth try, set up by Sleights’ tenacity and finished by fellow replacement Darren Fox, meant a 40-5 win and a semi final. It was looking good for my investments…

In the best of the quarters, the best team to play at a recreation ground got past London Welsh 31-24 notable for their reliance on one man to score the tries for them - Joe Mbu, large, quick, and promisingly for Bath, hungry. Look out for him this season, I would expect him to make an impact for them. So the ugly town would play the pretty city for a place in the final, with the Army and Newcastle in the other.

Not going to spend too much effort on the Plate, suffice to say Glaws beat Sale, Roth beat Wasps and Glaws then went onto win it. There were now bigger fish to fry…

The first semi went to plan. If your name is Rob Andrew, that is. A 17-0 half time lead was, let’s just say, a shock, as the Falcons got in their faces and waited for mistakes to happen. Could a three try lead be pegged back? Well, they gave it a go, but the second one came to late and Falcons were in the final 17-12. A big turn-up, and perhaps the pre-tournament odds of 10-1 for Newcastle weren’t that far off the mark. It also meant that for the first time since 1995, a ZP team would win the Sevens. Trouble is, which one?

The volume cranked up again, and the players reacted to it. Once again, Saints gersmudgerated through the first half as try machine Tucks (and I never thought I’d use that phrase!) and two from Brucie, one of which was worked superbly from deep and reminiscent of the try at FG against Bristol last season, meant a 21-0 lead that surely wouldn’t be challenged. Again, one try was pegged back, but the lessons did appear to have been learnt as Saints slowed down to walking pace and concentrated on the Sevens key when leading - keeping the ball. When needed though, there was pace to burn, and a mesmerising run from Shane Drahm opened a massive gap to set up a deserved try for Grant Seely to seal the victory, and for the third time in a week, a Saints shirted seven would be in a final. Must be, must be…

We all remember 27th May 2000. Some of us may even remember an Anglo-Welsh pennant finding its way to FG in 1976 (I don’t, I was too young). Would 16th August 2003 join the list of important dates in Saints history? Well, it started unpromisingly - Seely went down injured straight from the kick off, thankfully got up again, and then with just over two and a half minutes gone, the best English sevens player in Ben Gollings latched onto a stray Seely pass to score the try, and re-awaken not only those cup final doubts but those Tiggers who had been in hibernation for the last four hours. Gollings missed the conversion from close range - a chink of light? - and for the first time Saints had to come from behind. It was here that we would find out whether the hat’s wheels had been worn out after the repeated use.

They were up to it, and how. From a scrum, Brucie checked on the 22, threw a pass out wide, Tucker created the space, and Brucie volunteered to stroll it under the posts. Drahm, just as he had been doing all day, converted. As the penalty count against Saints started to mount, Falcons came back in, but a rare decision for Saints set up try two. Drahm took charge, tormented the Falcons defence, and found a hole for Bruce to run into. 12-5, no conversion, and ten minutes from a trophy.

Nine minutes away. I turned to Sall and said that I couldn’t take it anymore. Sall said that she had just said the same thing to the Sinbads. It was tense. Andrew had brought on Michael Stephenson at the break and it was he who would feature in the most memorable moment of the day. He jinked inside Ripol and Reihana on halfway, then burned off Howard up the left wing to head for the corner. It was 12 all. Trouble was, nobody told the Snitch the script. Haring after him, the tackle was made with about ten metres to go, and better than that, he brought the knock on. On such moments are cups won, and so it was to prove.

Falcons brought on Joe Shaw, and as the ball went out to him, AB reacquainted himself in a kind of “BANG!! Hello Joe” kind of way. Still the green machine went on. With Falcons penalised in Saints’ half, Howard broke clear, popped a pass to Seely, and he fed Tucks on the outside for him to run in under the posts. 19-5. Volume increases. Trophy near. Penalty to Saints from a lineout. Kick to corner. Tucker throw. Howard catch and return to Tucker. Fed to Drahm. Out to Bruce. Sleights takes it on. Ruck forms. Drahm at scrum half picks up. Sees gap. He’s in. Forward roll tumble to touch down.

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
It’s won! They’ve only gone and b****y won it! Mayhem in East Middle. Tom Hark being played, and everyone’s bouncing! The Tiggers next to us are leaving in droves. All it needs now is a classic try to round it off. On the day of days, it comes. AB intercepts a pass, and as the ball goes through Reihana, Beal, Tucker and Howard, an inside pass sees Sleights coming up like a train to get over the line. Brucie missed the conversion from wide, but by that stage the party had started. You could see how much it meant to the players, and you could hear how much it meant to the supporters. All that was left was for ten men to walk up the steps and collect a pot.

Given the fact that he missed 2000, how fitting was it that it was Bealer who would collect the trophy? Finally domestic silverware is coming up the M1. Ten heroes, one trophy, but more importantly in the context of the season to come, massive belief that Saints can win on the big occasion. We all knew that there were winners in the squad. Literally, there are now winners in the squad.

The players - the verdict

Andrew Blowers - Immense. No tries, but the pick up and drive in the Roth match is a great memory. The fact that he was picking up a Roth player and driving forward just made it better.

Darren Fox - When he came on, he did what he needed to. Rounded off the Sarries match with his only try of the day.

Nick Beal - Injured in the first match, but came on for the last two minutes of the final. Did the little things well, like not dropping the trophy.

Bruce Reihana - Well, we all thought last summer that when we signed him we would stand a chance if we played him in sevens. Five tries, and an awareness of the game that was frightening at times. Looks to have benefited from his first rest in two years.

Jon Sleightholme - Usually used as a second half replacement for the Snitch, but did everything that was asked of him and more, and scored a great try in the final.

Grant Seely - Unsung hero. Seemed to be under virtually every kick off, and won most of them. Also picks up the award for most injury breaks of the day. One try.

Johnny Howard - Seemed to be a universal view afterwards that the right scrum-half was retained. As bright and lively as his hair. Two tries in the first match, but distribution throughout was excellent.

Oriol Ripol - Personally, I thought he disappointed at Henley. Not today. Lively, sharp, hard-working, and used brilliantly in ten minute bursts in each game. Three tries and one superb tackle.

Shane Drahm - Could be the best bit of business of the summer. In my opinion, Saints player of the day, varying the pace and using an inordinate amount of vision to create holes for his new team mates. One try, one celebration, and seventeen out of nineteen conversions. We will like him lots.

Mark Tucker - Absolute revelation. Six tries after coming on for Bealer in the first match, and played every minute afterwards. Hat-trick v Sarries, and seemed to be popping up on the end of everything. Could well have played himself into the Sale match already.

Highlights of the day

The support - all of the players afterwards were enthusing about just how good the support had been. East Middle was rocking.

The players’ Bermuda shirts - to put into context how garish they were, Grant actually pleaded that a photo was not taken of him in his. The photo in question is awaiting download…

24-5 in the final - Shane tumbles, we celebrate, and Leicester leave. Bye boys, see you the next time we win a pot.

A phone call - spoke to a Falcons supporting friend on leaving Twickers, and must have sounded illegible, because I was just so happy. God knows what she thought…

7-1 - Nuff said…

Sky - being there, I’m not sure whether I could have sat through a whole day if I’d been at home. Still, I now have a long play 4 hour video of the day Saints won the Middlesex Sevens, whereas if BBC had shown it, I’d have twenty minutes. Big downer for not staying for five more minutes to capture all of the celebrations. I await the Rugby Club with interest.

The players - THANK YOU.

I somehow don’t think that this will be the last we see of silverware this season. Boys, you delivered. Keep it up.