News: AP: London Irish vs Northampton Saints - Match Preview
By PelerinStJames
February 23 2012
After edging past Sale Sharks in a dour encounter last time out, Northampton Saints head to Reading this weekend to face London Irish in another vital Aviva Premiership fixture. Regular COYSDC contributor PelerinStJames looks ahead to the match...
LONDON IRISH vs. NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
AP: Sunday, 26th February 2012 - 1.15pm (Sky)
MADEJSKI STADIUM, READING
MATCH PREVIEW
I have found that the hardest thing about writing these previews is starting them, once I have the right beginning then the rest will follow. So, for the last few days I have been wrestling with this problem, to little or no avail. Firstly, I had it in my mind that London Irish are something of a bogey team for the Saints as I recalled over the years, we always seem to lose the men in Green. Perhaps it was linked in to the drubbing they gave us at HQ in the cup final coupled with several home losses around the turn of the century, but on researching this angle, I was amazed to discover that their late win at the Gardens in September was their first win home or away against us since 2008-9. Not only that, but looking back over the last 10 seasons and the 19 league games we have actually won 11 and only lost 8. Not many bogeys there then.
Then, I thought I could go down the clichéd “Not Irish, Not London” route before realising a) how few of our players come from Northampton, and b) how none of them have yet to be canonised. That said, I am reliably informed that over in the Vatican, Pope Benedict is currently mulling over the potential beatification of the Mooj, and will be pronouncing his verdict shortly. (“Done Deal” say local sources).
So, discarding that option, I found myself resorting to good old Wikipedia. Surely Wiki wouldn’t let me down, there must be a nugget of valuable information there that would launch me into this preview. And there it was, I could hardly believe my eyes….right down the bottom, beneath the history and the Stats, lies a section entitled “Digger”. Brilliant, fantastic, just what I need as you may recall from my last piece that I am a big fan of our Paul, and, so it seemed are London Irish. Until, of course, I read on.
Apparently “Digger” is an Irish Wolfhound, and his extremely important job is to provide support to the LI Club where he even has his own fan club. I think not! Digger, as we all know, is ours, he is more than a mascot, he is our fullback, and if that isn’t a seamless link into who I think will be playing on Sunday, I don’t know what is.
So, for me, Digger will continue at 15; it is not his fault that full back is not his natural position, nor that we have been spoilt over the years by watching such great running 15’s as Hunter, Beal, Reihana and now Foden to which he will be inevitably compared. He is solid, committed and always does a good job when called upon by Jim.
Out on the wings, I am expecting to see Artemyev and the much improved Noah Cato continue, with Pisi and Downey in the centres once again. The seemingly endless fly half debate rumbles on, Lamb or Myler? Myler or Lamb? Personally, I am expecting Stephen to start again this week, with Roberts at 9.
Upfront, Tiny, Long, and St. Mooj will probably pack down with Day and Manoa in the 2nd row and then Calum, Roger and Nutley behind them. The Saints Scrum will no doubt rumble on, squeeze the Irish pack and seek to win the penalties for Myler to slot. I am not expecting there to be a particularly expansive game plan from our boys to begin with, but one based on forward domination and defence as we seek to carry on picking up the points during the VI Nations. Once a platform has been built, then we hopefully will see a more adventurous game as we go in search of bonus points. We were not great against Sale, but during this period, it is purely and simply a case of getting the points any way we can. This is what we haven’t been able to do in recent years, and our much documented loss of form during the internationals will certainly be tested down in Reading.
London Irish like to play an attacking brand of rugby, and whilst they tend to score lots of points, their defence is not the greatest. Although beset by injuries, in Jonathon Joseph and Delon Armitage they have two of the most exciting players in the league, and in Homer, a great kicker to boot. Having lost to Falcons last time out, they will no doubt be fired up and keen to close the gap on the teams above them that currently occupy the Heineken and Play off positions. The mid league positions remain extremely tight with 7 points covering us in 3rd and Irish in 8th, and so a win here would certainly throw them back into contention. After all, they have only lost 2 more games than us and have secured the most bonus points in the league. They are also not affected too badly by call ups, and although they have a number of injuries, including ex-Saint Joe Ansbro, they will provide a stiff test on Sunday.
However, if Saints are to be considered genuine title contenders, then this is precisely the sort of game we need to be winning. The great sides all develop that knack of going away and getting a result which may be ugly, it may be untidy, but at the end of the season, it is not performance that counts but the 4 points. For me, there is a genuine progression there in terms of our squad depths and talents this season that means I am optimistic that despite losing 6 players to England, we still remain competitive.
Consequently, I am expecting a narrow victory, but a victory none the less for our boys, with possibly a try bonus point as well given the notoriously leaky Irish defence. This would not only consolidate our position in the top 4 of the league, but more importantly, show the world which Digger is truly top dog. Come on you Saints – Get those bragging rights!
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“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
Benjamin Franklin
Tetleys Block F E143
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
See it was quite easy once you'd started!
my daughter was in Rome last week and visited what she calls HQ I dont knowif she had a word with himself but if not cannonisation ( i think you have to be dead for that one ) we might at least expect the odd red hat for some of our lads.
AS to the game - yes we can grind out a point or four if we keep focussed and cut out the errors.
Saint til I die
Will you be undertaking the Pilgrimage to Compsostela via the Mad Jetski on Sunday? , If on foot down the Fosse way, you had better start now! But I do understand that a correct forecast in a match preview generates a plenary indulgence!
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
Looking forward to hosting you Saints on Sunday and don't forget that it is an early kick off.
Laighean ag éirí leat an diabhal
Quote:St Marlowe
Great stuff Mr Pèlerin
Will you be undertaking the Pilgrimage to Compsostela via the Mad Jetski on Sunday? , If on foot down the Fosse way, you had better start now! But I do understand that a correct forecast in a match preview generates a plenary indulgence!
Sadly, I won't be walking to the game this weekend, it's been a few years since I last trod the Camino now. I do however fully intend to Santiago one day from Northampton, but hadn't thought about incorporating rugby games into it. That's a great plan for the future, walking the Way of St James in more ways than one.
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously