News:Saints win away with 5 points at London Welsh
By Wrench
April 14 2013
The Kassam stadium in Oxford could be classed as a modern Throwback. Only opened in 2001, it somehow feels more old school than that (the open end behind one set of posts with cars parked up doesn’t help with that impression) so it is perhaps a fitting setting for London Welsh, a club with so much of the old school about them, to have chosen as a setting for their sojourn into the upper reaches of the English League system. It does however, create quite a draught, and having been fooled by the morning’s weather into choosing sunglasses rather than coat I was reliant on the game keeping me warm.
Aviva Premiership Round 20
London Welsh (14) v Northampton Saints (31)
Kassam Stadium Sunday 14th April KO 3pm
Given results on Friday and Saturday, both teams knew that the outcome of the game would have huge ramifications on the whole season. For Saints, a playoff spot could begin to be pencilled in with a convincing win, whereas for Welsh relegation beckoned with anything other than a ‘W’. Not for the first time, the task of the Exiles’ playing staff was made more difficult with off the field matters – the club sadly shrouded in uncertainty with its main backer withdrawing funding from the club at the end of the season, furious over their treatment since winning promotion to the premiership last May. All rugby fans will hope that situation gets sorted without creating another Richmond or Rosslyn Park, but that discussion is for another day.
So onto the action. The players emerged into the grey, overcast, blustery surroundings, with the away support seemingly a vocal Majority. Worryingly, the referee (Mr Garner) emerged wearing some rather fetching bright white boots. Not exactly a fan of being anonymous throughout the game then…
Saints went on to dominate the very early phases, Foden recovering Myler’s opening kick-off and some early pressure resulting in the Welsh midfield being caught offside for a kickable penalty, with Myler obliging. Minutes later an early set at the scrum gave Dickson the chance to run a quick freekick. Support play from Downson and Tonga’uiha got Saints close to the line before welsh transgressed in midfield again and Myler slotted his second penalty for 6-0.
The home side spluttered into some form of life on ten minutes as Manoa lost control at the base of a scrum allowing a turnover by Scrum Half Davies. Some lovely interplay took the exiles into the Saints 22 before Daniel Browne, once of this parish, spurned an overlap before knocking on in contact with the Saints defence creaking.
Next followed a good 15 minutes where I felt cold. George Pisi was forced off with an injury on the 20 minute mark to be replaced by Tom May, and Northampton kept looking in control of the game, applying pressure but choosing to keep the ball in tight where Welsh seemed strongest and looked comfortable to defend. For their part, when they had the ball offloading from the tackle was asking questions of the Saints scramble defence.
The wake up moment arrived on the half hour mark. Another lineout in the home 22 saw a wraparound move end in tears as Dickson’s pass was too delayed and telegraphed to Sonny Parker. The veteran international didn’t have the legs to go all the way but timed his pass well to Nick Scott and from nothing the Saints were behind.
This seemed to spark the men in GB+G into life. After forcing another penalty for Myler to convert, the best passage of play from Saints as a unit soon followed. First Courtney Lawes won a penalty at the breakdown brilliantly. From the kick upfield, the ball was shifted from right to left, searching for openings with big powerful carries from Burrell and a number of the forwards. The play was then switched back through the hands t Tom May, who recognised a couple of front rowers ahead of him, switched on the turn of pace and ghosted through from 30 yards to score. Myler couldn’t convert but the score stood at 14 points to 7 in Saints’ favour.
Barely 60 seconds later, May was off again into the other corner following up on a good break from Ken Pisi and a marauding run from Samu Manoa straight after the kick off. Again Myler couldn’t convert so the score stayed a 19-7
The Second half saw an enforced change for Saints with Van Velze appearing in place of the injured Manoa. There was early attacking endeavour from both teams, Elliot, having an impressive game, made a lovely break only for team mates hands to squander the overlap created whilst a desperate tackle from Ken Pisi managed to halt one Welsh attack that looked destined to score in the corner.
The next score, when it did come, was delightfully crafted. Lovely hands from Foden sent Pisi away down the right hand side. A few phases drew the defence in, allowing Mujati a one on one rumble against a back. In typical fashion he muscled his man out of the way before providing a neat offload to send Burrell over for a lovely try after 6 minutes of the second half. Myler hitting the post with the conversion for a score of 24-7
Various periods of pressure without end product were then enjoyed by both teams as the cold started to bite in the stands again. The benches emptied and attacking shape and rhythm seemed to disappear. This wasn’t helped by some inconsistent at best refereeing at the scrum, including several resets called for when both scrum halves were refusing to put the ball into scrums that looked set and stable.
The next significant action saw Alex Waller, on for about 10 minutes, picking up a yellow card for a late challenge on Ross. A series of 5 metre scrums for the home team had an air of the inevitable about it, and hen Daniel Browne dived over with 70 minutes gone there was little surprise. Ross added the extras and Welsh had a sniff being back to only 10 points down.
The Exiles were again stopped in their tracks as Saints upped the intensity. Ross was forced into transgressing cynically on his own line and paying the price of a yellow card for his troubles. Lamb now on for Myler looked to find the extra space this created with an audacious long pass to Elliot that was adjudged to be forwards. In their over-eagerness the Saints side started haemorrhaging penalties, destroying the momentum they were trying to build. Welsh were looking to run from everywhere at this point, and one enterprising move came to a shuddering halt with a big Van Velze tackle that forced a turnover. The ball was recycled left, and Burrell stepped off his left boot against a tired drift defence to clinch the bonus point score, converted by Lamb for 31-14.
There was still time for one more enterprising move by Saints, with GJ Van Velze (having the most effective 40 minutes I’ve seen from him in a saints shirt) breaking one tackle and offering a sweetly timed offload that sent Waller on a trundle up field. Elliot was in acres of space on the left and a try seemed certain if Alex chose to use the supporting Roberts as a conduit to getting the ball out to Jamie on the wing. Instead he chose to try and throw a 30 yard pass himself, which bounced several times before reaching its intended recipient.
Overall, the job can be regarded as done. 5 points away from home against a team fighting for their professional lives isn’t to be sniffed at. The game can be summed up as the story of Saints season in a microcosm. A solid start, a couple of spectacular implosions and periods of play that could give any fan hope.
Burrell looked like the right 12 for our current set of tactics and had a good game on the front foot whilst the back three looked to be becoming a bit more of a counter attacking threat. The Biggest plus for me was seeing the Courtney Lawes work rate back up to the levels we came to expect of him two seasons ago. More tackles, more carries and more turnovers than at any other point this year. There is still a lot of room for improvement but the top four finish is well within our control now. And if you don’t buy a ticket…
Reaction from Jim Mallinder and Luther Burrell
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:04:14:23:36:33 by St Marlowe.
“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
I agree Tim. There was that period of the game where every decision went against Saints. I was too far away to truly see what was happening in most of them, but ignoring the LW player coming in from the Saints side of the ruck was an odd one (didn't help that Alex was binned immediately afterwards three minutes after coming on the pitch !).
Saint til I die
I didn't think Garner had his finest game either but it probably evened up throughout the game.
It also felt strange that we seemed to outnumber the home supporters but I wish London Welsh all the best as they try to rebuild their team and backers next year.
Now let's get that place secured in the top 4.
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I'm still puzzled why we took Day off at the first scrum after Waller's yellow. It made life very difficult at the scrums on our 10 m line and if Dan Browne hadn't scored, we were in danger of the penalty try.
We even drafted Luther in to play flanker in the last scrum so why not take the far side winger, in this case KP, off, maintain our pack weight and keep the midfield defence intact?
Really appreciated, Wrench - thank you!
