News: HC - Ulster v Saints match preview

By David Lowrence
December 13 2012

Well! When I volunteered to write this, I, (along with a number of other Saints supporters) thought that it would be a case of travel to Ravenhill and and get an LBP and we’ll be fine. - Seemples! How wrong can you be?

Heineken Cup Pool 4 Round 4

Ulster Rugby v Northampton Saints

Saturday 15th December, Ravenhill Park, KO 6pm

Following a strange game last Friday, in which Saints were defeated on the pitch, in the stands and in the bars and restaurants, we venture forth to Belfast this weekend, many not even in hope, let alone expectation, to one of the fortresses of European Rugby, short a captain due to a poor lapse of judgement, and too many injuries and unknowns when nothing but five points will do.

PAH!! POOH! Let me remind you about European fortresses in the Heineken Cup.

We do know a bit about “Big Asks” and fortresses.

1 Agen December 2003. Agen – 4^th in the French League, Eighteen (I think) home games without defeat. The wettest night of the decade.

Result = 3 Dec 2003 Northampton Saints 25 - 10 SU Agen

2 Biarritz (Estadio Anoeta in Donostia/San Sebastián) The Basque Homeland and Fortress for BO.

2007 Northampton upset Biarritz, winning 8–7

Ulster came to the Gardens last Friday and played with a passion and skill unseen for a long time at Northampton. They have gone home convinced that they can beat us in Ravenhill. So they should. They earned that right. It is Saints’ job to deny that,

Much was said about our kicking game last week. It did not work. Given the gawdorfal phrase “we are where we are” I would take a number of large jumpers (no dear reader, not multiple Courtneys, but the kind for sticking rugby balls up), and go for a focused pick and drive game. It will draw in the opposition, offer the chance for penalties, and give some space for our backs to strike. It is also a tactic at which we excel. I suspect the weather will mitigate against expansive running rugby! (That is the sum total of this writer’s publishable tactical nous! – so I’ll leave it there, with a plea to “der manidgement” to let the players play undirected from the technical area.

And what of the favourites – I hear you cry. They will be wary of a backlash, (and I really think they’ll get one.), but we need to surprise them out of the park and down the Ormeau road. I really believe that that game is in the Saints. Even without Captain Dylan. The time for wimping about and showing respect is OVER. Do you hear me boys? OVER!!

I am not going to give the usual lists of players, but will point out one or two things. Dowson must start – in the absence of Dylan he has to lead the team. Start with Waller and PDJ using Tonga’Uhia and Mujati to smash them into the middle of next week after 55 minutes. Myler to start (it’s a jumpers and HC game – why would you even think of anything else). Courtney to be given 40 minutes to rule the roost, and if he is not strutting his stuff sub Manu for him. At some stage someone (Courtney?) should teach Best that he cant get away with being the underdog in handbag sessions for more than 5 years without consequence, and ensure that our favourite ref sees through his “focused aggression” (as it was referred to on the Ulster supporters’ Facebook in some vituperative postings about Dylan, the devil personified) to the trickery underneath and teaches him the colour of a card. It would be nice to see Wilson, but I guess he’s still injured so we’ll leave it there.

For Ulster, I think they will field an almost unchanged team, with the exception of Stephen Ferris, who will feel safe to venture against a Saints side sans Dylan. As for the rest of them, provided we don’t kick the ball away in their 22, they should (should) be manageable.

So I have my belief back (I have to really when I look at the cost of the weekend!), earlier than expected. (perhaps it is the Ulster 16th, 17th and 18th men coming on the site and telling us how good the team is!). I hope that the side has theirs. To progress, 5 points is the minimum they need to bring back, but some self-respect would be good too!

Saints by 5

Comeonyousaints

It’s very dark – can you hear me whistling?

News: HC - Ulster v Saints match preview

Posted by: ComeOnYouSaints.com (IP Logged)

Date: 13/12/2012 07:18

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