Season Review Part 2

By Whaley Shark
June 1 2014

I left us in the depths of winter, positioned comfortably in mid Table though with one or two wobbles along the way. Here's how things developed as the days got longer and the AP season's climax loomed closer....

Premiership action got off to a slow start in January, with only one game, a hard-fought away win at Kingston Park, some consolation for being turned over at home by the Falcons. Our cup form was good through the rest of January though, and set us up for three AP games in February.

First up, an out-of-sorts Gloucester visited the AJ Bell stadium and were well beaten in a 4-try victory in spite of a second half Gloucester comeback. Saracens visited the following week and, although we took a first half lead and scored the only try of the game, we were ultimately undone by Charlie Hodgson’s five penalties and had to be content with a losing bonus. Finally, we went away to misfiring Worcester , took a commanding lead and held out for a comfortable away win.

Our good away form carried on into March, as we went away to Adams Park. We took an early lead before Wasps came back into the match, then came back in the last quarter to secure a tough four points. We followed that up by ambushing a rather complacent Northampton side at the AJ Bell, scoring three tries to nil, and winning fairly comfortably. We finished March away at the Rec where, on a filthy night, we frustrated Bath with some limits-of-the laws scrummaging to sneak the narrowest of wins. It was dire enough to watch at home- what it must have been like in one of the Rec’s uncovered stands, I shudder to think. But the four points came North up the M5.

As April began and only four AP games were left, it became pretty clear that we were likely to get into the new European Cup competition, but unlikely to break into the top four. Our top four hopes were pretty much obliterated by a strong Harlequins performance in Salford, giving them a four try bonus point. In compensation, though, we went away to Exeter the next week and scored eight tries in a comprehensive victory at another of our bogey grounds.

Finally, as May came round, it became clear that we hadn’t much to play for, and it showed as Tigers came to Salford looking to climb as high as they could in the top four, and had both the try bonus secure and the game won within an hour. As they eased off, we nicked a couple of late tries to make things look more respectable, but we were never seriously in that match. That day was noticeable for one of the Saturday experiments and a crowd of just over 10000, well above our Friday night norm. Our season wound up the following week away at London Irish, who got their noses in front in a tight match, and ran out narrow winners.

Given the traumas of the previous season, a solid sixth place, wins away at a couple of our bogey grounds, and a healthy crop of bonus points were all very welcome. We looked like a team and, for much of the season, put in some excellent defensive displays. Some of last summer’s signings like Michael Paterson and Jonathan Mills, do a lot of relatively inconspicuous hard graft, which is very welcome, and I think we have the foundations of a good Premiership squad. I’ll ponder the new signings another time.

Finally, I’ll just sign off by saying congratulations to Saints for finally winning the Premiership. I missed the game because I was out on my bike, but it sounded like a cracker, so well done.