News: AP: Northampton Saints vs Harlequins - Match Preview
By Jonathan Stockham
December 20 2012
After last weekend's heroics in Belfast, Northampton Saints return to Aviva Premiership action as they welcome Harlequins to Franklin's Gardens in an eagerly awaited Saturday afternoon fixture. It's a case of third plays first and regular COYSDC contributor, Stockers, takes a look ahead to the game...
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs. HARLEQUINS
AP: Saturday, 22nd December 2012 - 3.15pm (Sky)
FRANKLIN'S GARDENS, NORTHAMPTON
MATCH PREVIEW
A Tasty Christmas Encounter…But Who Will Be The Turkeys?
Harley-Quins are Coming to Town! Sounds like a seasonal song I know!! Enough exclamation marks and on with the game!!!! Doh….
Saints go in to the eleventh round of the Aviva Premiership on Saturday sitting third in the league table only 2 points behind our visitors by virtue of only a couple of bonus points. Strange to think really that after all the gnashing of teeth at results in recent weeks we sit so close to the top and without putting a strong game of 80 minutes together so far this season. In the league that is.
Having made the rugby world sit up and take notice by beating clear favourites Ulster at Ravenhill in the latest round of the Heineken Cup last weekend, Saints look to have refound some hutzpah, attitude, grit and doggedness again. No one has defeated Ulster at their fortress ground since rugby players were sepia toned and wore woolly jumpers and for Saints to reverse the embarrassing “sand in the face” performance of the week before was both unforeseen and most welcome. And great to watch.
I’ve often said “It’s all in the head” (and I don’t mean catarrh). Get the attitudes right and the collective entity will move mountains and slay dragons for the cause. The difference in attitude over the two games against Ulster was stark and revealing. Saints proved they could do it if they really put their minds to it, if they really “wanted it” in sporting parlance.
Having followed the Jimmies for close on 25 years, one has observed that, from time to time, a kick up the undergarments or a Eureka moment comes along every so often in a season and the points then start to tick up. It can’t be easy for professional sportsmen to maintain the same high levels of intensity week in, week out with nothing else to vary the tedium of training and diet but that’s what makes sport so fascinating.
And “fascinating” describes this weekend’s Festive Appetiser to a tee. Quins have the same number of W’s and L’s as Saints. Similarly affected by national team call ups, they have however romped through a relatively easy Heineken Pool and have more points than any other team this far. (Ed – I wish I could romp through a pool of Heineken!) Their last double headed Euro adventure saw them getting all Italian and putting 15 tries past some zebras. Well, it makes a change from playing rugby I suppose.
In the league they have lost to Saracens (just), Chiefs (hugely) and Bath. Victories have come over Wasps (just), L Welsh, L Irish, Sale, Worcester, Gloucester and TIGERS. Yes "and TIGERS". Just worth repeating that……..
Quins also beat us by a single point in 61 in the Louis Vuitton Cup (whatever!) at the Gardens in November when Frano Botica’s lad scored a converted try at the death to deny Saints after a thrilling comeback by the home side in the second half.
This weekend, both sides will be at full strength, injuries and suspensions excepted. I expect Saints to trot out the same starting XV as at Ravenhill although GJ Van Velze is still an injury worry. If he doesn’t start I expect Phil Dowson to play 8 and skipper the side, in the absence of Dylan Hartley, with Tom Wood and Courtney Lawes alongside him in the back row. The second row will again be Samu Manoa, such a Titanic force in Belfast (oops- mind the iceberg) and Callum Clark, again fitness permitting. However, against a line out as crafty as Quins, Mark Sorensen might well get the nod instead.
Front row will be Mikey “Full Throttle” Haywood at 2 with probably Tiny Tonga’uiha and Paul Doran Jones as his bookends. Or maybe Alex Waller. Or Brian “Who’s the Daddy” Mujati. If he’s had enough sleep after baby daughter Alexandra’s arrival this week. Congratulations Mooooooj!
At half back, our Dickson will start at 9, maybe against their Dickson but then again who Cares? (Can you see what I did there?)
I expect Stephen Myler will take the field in the 10 shirt but I expect that the Quins loose forwards will be flying up at him having watched a few charged down kicks last weekend. The midfield I’m not going to predict, preferring to leave it to Jim, as it will depend to an extent on who Quins select but whoever it is will need to be strong in the tackle against Jordan Turner Hall.
Our back 3 will undoubtedly feature Ben Foden, looking back to his best last weekend with Ken Pisi on one wing and Jamie Elliott, a star in the making on the other.
Quins exude class all over the field but our front row should win the battle of the set scrums, our line out will need to be ultra-sharp and their back row is hugely competitive with Chris Robshaw adding some pace to Nick Easter’s powerful trundling. Tom Guest on the other flank will be no mean competitor either.
Their linchpin is undoubtedly Nick Evans at 10 although his place kicking radar can sometimes get jammed. However, if he gets an early sighter in, Saints will need to be on their best behaviour in their half of the field to avoid the penalty tally clicking ever upwards in Quins’ favour.
It’s a close one to call. The two teams are evenly matched but before last Saturday’s resurgence in Belfast I’d have backed the visitors for this one. However we saw a different Saints team last time out and they’ve proved to themselves that they can beat the Best. They can get their heads right for the big matches and stuffing the league leaders at home is what some might call a big match.
One final word and that’s for the 16th man/woman. We do make a difference, we do need to make a noise, we do need to support and not just sing when we are winning. There’s been a bit too much of the last one recently.
Come on you Saints! A win by 10 points I say!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:20:14:58:33 by Phil..
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
Ed
looking forward to it anyway.
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Quote:Bedfordshire Boy
" ... but our front row should win the battle of the set scrums"
Wonderful thing hindsight. Can make even the biggest idiot look intelligent!
Felt it a good old fashioned contest. Fodens non try would of made it more interesting but it was dealt with there and then so everyone knew where they stood