Tykes v Saints Preview

Leading the pack
By Mally (on 16/11/02)
November 16 2002

Well this should be a cracking game, with it being played in the middle of the international period it will probably come down to which side copes best without their big names.

As Phil Davies remarks in "Tykes Talk" the Saints will be a "formidable task for us", they were one of the few teams last season to come to Headingley & make Tykes look inept.

The Saints struggled early on last season then Wayne Smith arrived at Franklin Gardens and the turn around began with them going on to be runners up in the Powergen Cup.

New Season, new Tykes

However that was last season, and the Tykes team they face this year is flying high. Currently in the top three of the Premiership table, you would think Phil Davies had signed 22 new players not the handful he actually did. The commitment and desire to win were there last season but this year the lads have that something extra, turning the near misses into wins. Whether that’s down to greater skill, a few new players in key areas, better fitness levels, team spirit, or sheer stubbornness it’s hard to pinpoint - whatever it is it's working!

So the players...

The Tykes squad has been stretched in the last couple of weeks with regular first team members away on international duty. However the "fringe players" have stepped into the breach and this week Phil is also including a couple of the RFU academy lads on the bench.

International call ups rule out Diego Albanese, Gordon Ross, Mark Regan and Gavin Kerr, although Ronnie does get a seat on the bench. Also out are Dan Hyde and Zac Feaunati who have not recovered from the injuries that ruled them out of last week’s game at Wasps.

18-year old prop Michael Cussack comes onto the bench for his debut, and Tom Rock gets another call up to the bench.

The Tykes Team

15. Dan Scarbrough, 14. Craig Emmerson, 13. George Harder, 12. Tristan Davies, 11. Chris Hall, 10. Braam van Straaten, 9. Derek Hegarty, 1. Mike Shelley (c), 2. Rob Rawlinson, 3. Matt Holt, 4. Chris Murphy, 5. Tom Palmer, 6. Cameron Mather, 7. James Ponton, 8. Alix Popham.

Replacements:

16. Michael Cussack, 17. Mark Regan, 18. Stewart Campbell, 19. Phil Murphy, 20. Carl Hogg, 21. Alan Dickens, 22. Tom Rock.

Northampton Saints Squad

15. Nick Beal, 14. Jon Sleightholme, 13. Bruce Reihana, 12. John Leslie (capt), 11. Oriol Ripol, 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/Robbie Morris, 18. Matt Lord, 19. Simon Hepher, 20. Ian Vass, 21. James Brooks, 22. Mark Tucker.

Saints are hard hit with many regular first team players out either through injury or on international duty. Budge Pountney, Matt Dawson, Tom Smith, Ben Cohen, Steve Thompson, Grant Seely, and Mattie Stewart are all unavailable.

Tykes Less Disrupted

Of the two teams Tykes are certainly less disrupted by the international tests. While we’ll miss the flair of Diego, Gordy's cheeky charm running the show and Ronnie spurring the pack on, the squad have proven that we can cope without them.

The Backs

With George Harder having shown he is as comfortable in the centre as on the wing, Chris Hall really starting to flourish, Emmo slotting in on the other wing, Braam switching back to fly-half, and Scabs covering fullback, I don’t really think we should be too concerned about who we’re missing.

The forwards

The pack have a more unfamiliar line up. The front row of Shelley, Rawlinson and Holt may not be the regular combination, but the Saints are also missing key front row players and the Tykes three are not out-classed. In addition Ronnie will also be sat on the bench ready to come on and lift the team if needed just as he did at Wasps last weekend - so I believe the Tykes may have the edge. The second row is the well established partnership of Tom Palmer and Chris Murphy, who should be able to handle the Saints pair Phillips and Hunter. There’s no Zac or Dan in the back row, however James Ponton and Alix Popham both won good reviews Tykes fans at the Wasps game last week, and as for Cammie – well he never let’s us down!

Prediction

While I like us to be the underdog I actually think we have the edge this week. Our so-called fringe players are proving that Tykes are no longer a team of 15 first team players but a true squad.

Although the Come On You Saints website preview describes their team as a "patched up makeshift Saints side" they do have have some class players in their side such as Reihana, Beal, Sleightholme, Leslie and Grayson. The one I really want to see though is Saints’ Spanish winger Ripol, who can dance through defences.

Having said that this is a game I think Tykes can win and though I do not expect it to be easy I'm going for Tykes to win by 7 points.

And as it is expected of me - I should also mention that of course our lads have the better legs too...

Read the Come On You Saints preview here.