A Game of 10 Minutes
By Jon_r43
March 3 2013
So I volunteer to write my first match report of 2013 because I’ve got some spare time on the Sunday after the game and think that re-watching our attempt at points at the Garden’s might be a good activity for Sunday afternoon after watching Welsh lose to Sarries ….
I don’t know why I thought I would want to watch the game on TV we have so far collected 5 points on the road (a win at Glaws and a losing BP at Welsh)
If you’re hoping for a detailed account then sorry that isn’t going to happen after the performance, and given that we were in the famous (or should that be infamous) block Q and row G, I didn’t see anything of most of the game and could only just see the big screen. I have therefore focused this report on the key 10 minutes around half time.
Our usual start to our match day meant leaving home mid-morning and arriving at the ground a couple of hours before kick-off. Many of the usual away support were arriving as we walked into the ground where there were some changes.
The food was provided by a different company (still some of the best in the prem but a bit more expensive). The DJ forgot to play “here come the girls” as the team arrived. Checking with others the whole team announced had arrived and it looked like the side announced would take to the pitch. Not so, as Losi was injured in the warm up and was replaced on the bench by Jamie Gibson.
Teams run out and the game starts, fast forward about 35 minutes and we are doing well in points terms 9 -7 up not dominating or even competing but as Dan had started to say Saints were 9 points away from taking our bonus point. Tom has just scored his 3rd penalty and there is a restart with a couple of minutes to go. We enter a key phase of play (which I did review on the Prem Rugby TV!) Can we hang on to the ball and go in ahead? The kick off is taken and possession is retained, it’s recycled and Halani knocks on, the ball comes out on the Saints side and Foden and the young winger Elliot attack down the wing. They are bundled into touch but Mr Doyle awards a penalty for offside. Saints go for the corner and their maul drives towards the line. We seem to have it in control and it stops and goes to ground just short - Manu Samoa picks up and drives over to give Saints a lead that they probably deserved.
Second half starts and Topsy brings the ball out and is tackled. The ball goes across the back line and Shane tries to kick clear, however, it is charged down by a Saints player who chases the ball but knocks on in carrying it clear. Scrum is awarded to Irish and holds reasonably well. The ball is picked up at the back by Jon Fisher who is tackled - there seems to be some panic in the Irish defence but from Block Q you can see a clear Saints knock on (Sir and assistant sir miss it) and Sir gives a penalty against Scott Lawson. Again Saints go for the corner and Tonga’uiha moves from the front of the line towards the back taking the ball from the line out and driving through the backs (Marland and Shane) to score near to the posts. In that 5 minutes of playing time we had gone from 7-9 up to 21-9 down and in a nutshell the game was over.
Skipping forward another 27 minutes (33-9 by now) and another significant incident from an Irish perspective takes place with Setaimata Sa taking to the field for his first appearance for the club. The 9 minutes he had looked promising and we scored our only try through Guy breaking through in a move that he was heavily involved in (Saints will say Sir missed blocking on the try) but it’s difficult to say if it was down to him or Saints taking their foot off the gas, anyhow the try is immediately countered by Saints 6th (and a hat trick from Elliot) and the game ends 40-14
Now we travelled to Saints expecting to struggle especially given the away performance at Bath 2 weeks before and indeed we did but the real worry for me was that we were not competitive in any area of the game and although at half time the scoreboard suggested that a bonus point was possible it was never really likely.
We were dominated in the Scrum and most noticeably the line out. The guys tried hard to stop consistent pressure from a Saints side with most of their internationals available to them and some promising younger players but the waves of attack always looked likely to result in tries. Saints moved back into the top 4 with their win and on the form of today look good for a playoff place.
Was it just a bad day at the office? or are there more significant issues at the club? Are we losing players because they are disillusioned? or because we can’t compete financially with the big boys? and the younger players who want to play for their countries know they need to be at fashionable clubs? What players are coming through the academy? And where are Brian and Glen going to recruit? It’s probably difficult to answer all of these questions from outside and if we could, message board discussion would probably die!! but four of the players involved are reported to, or have confirmed they are leaving (Matt, Max, Jamie and Jack) and if they are going then it will be essential that we replace them with some players of quality ready to give everything for Irish (Sa and Joe Ansbro are effectively new players for next year and are key for me!) Otherwise while the RFU, Welsh or Sale may save us this year, next year will be a really big challenge for the Irish.
Hopefully if we can survive 2013/14 then Hazelwood will be ready, the Avenue will be sold and the club will be in a position to move forward financially but the journey on the basis of today promises to be a tough one and the team will certainly need to learn to “Journey together” and pick up a few more points on the road which is something that Brian talked about needing to sort out during the week.
Whatever happens, following Irish away is never a boring activity - there are two more trips this season (Chiefs and Tigers) and 3 more home games (Welsh, Worcester and Sale) So let’s get as many of us travelling and get behind the team and make sure we don’t end up with trips to Doncaster and Pirates next season!
Come on You Irish!!
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K
you could also have questioned JPDoyle's interpretation of static maul (we benefited) and why the AR failed to tell him about your loose head not binding (you benefited) but lets just say overall he was a bit 'random'.
ill be shot down by the Saints forum here, but on future visits you should be confident to get out of the 'naughty corner' seats when you come to us. come across to the tetleys and share the game - we dont bite, youll actually see most of the game and might get a sun tan!
finally, i really hope that you get sorted financially - you play some of the best backs rugby in the prem and bring on some fantastic youngsters and it would be great if your coaches had a bit more £ clout and could keep a competitive pack together. good luck for the rest of the season.