News: AP Final: Saints vs Tigers - Match Preview
By bonso
May 23 2013
The day is almost upon us! Northampton Saints take on Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership Final at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon. Can Saints cause a mighty upset and take the title? Regular COYSDC contributor, bonso, takes a look ahead to the game...
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs. LEICESTER TIGERS
AP FINAL: Saturday, 25th May 2013 - 3pm (ESPN)
TWICKENHAM STADIUM, LONDON
MATCH PREVIEW
This is it “The Big One”
Not the chance of an end of season glittery pot!
Not the chance of being the payoff winners!
Not even the chance to be Champions of England!
It is the chance to be Champions of the East Midlands and be the current holder of the “Sacred Bragging Rights”.
All joking aside, this has to be the fixture that we have all been waiting for, never before in over a hundred years of rivalry have Saints and Tigers met in a Twickenham final. This promises to be a belter physically on the pitch and a belter in camaraderie off the pitch. The fierce good natured rivalry between the East Midlands neighbours goes back in time beyond living memory. The 1897 publishing of mourning cards by both teams after their respective victories just goes to exemplify the spirit in which these games are meant to be taken. However this is not always the case as in 1910 a dispute over the “questionable tactics” of two Saints forwards and one three-quarter led to a threat from Tigers to cancel the fixture. A certain Edger Mobbs who was running the touch that day described Leicester’s actions as childish. Needless to say two things firstly the fixture was never cancelled and secondly it is not just our modern rivalry which gives birth to controversy.
So what can the sell out crowd expect from our stripy chums from the 100acre roundabout.
Well one thing about Tigers is that they don’t panic when they don’t have the ball; they are patient and organised and are difficult to get around or play through. The lineout is its usual well drilled self but maybe not the foundation it once was. The Tigers pack, however selected, is likely to be lighter than the probable Saints eight so scrums are going to be interesting with both front rows having a game of how low can you go before the inevitable standing shenanigans and both sides going on about how hard they done by.
Tigers score trys these days and possess a more than useful half-back pairing in Youngs and Flood and if supplied with good go forward ball have the weapons to keep Saints honest, add to this the ever reliable and solid Allan and the fast battering ram that is Tuilagi and that is a midfield handful. On the wings Morris is certainly a skilful handful and Goneva a force. Tait however at full-back has took his time to adapt but had an excellent game against Quins.
For the Saints a big first 60 will be expected by Tiny, Dyl and The Mooj and much will hinge on the impact the young guns off the bench will make. Hartley will be looking to inform Tom Youngs that his time is not quite yet especially with the added spice of Lions contention thrown in. The front row battle is going to be immense and edged I think by brain rather than brawn.
It is, I think, in the back five of the pack that Saints will seek to prosper as they seem to have the potential to be more physical if they get it right. I fully expect both sides to attempt to maul and again it’s whoever gets the little nudges right that is going to get this facet sorted. Too much quality at the breakdown from both sides will inevitably cause some lung exercise from that that young Mr Barnes. Let’s hope it is not too much. With Daisy in cracking form and a very tall lineout throughout Tom Youngs had better be on the money with his throwing.
At scrum half Lee Dickson is starting to flow again and if Saints can start to gain a little bit of tempo will look to pull the strings with Myler in getting the big lads over the gain line and releasing the girls. Good territorial kicking will be important as well and at stand off Myler will have to make the right decisions and execute them well.
It is at centre I think where the game will be won or lost. If Burrell and Wilson (don’t think at the time of writing GP will be fit) can stop Tuilagi getting ascendant we have a very good chance of prospering especially if the frustrated Manu goes ball hunting. On our own ball Burrell will surely have a few darts and of course Wilson is rather deceptive with a great rugby brain.
On the wings Jamie Elliot and Ken Pisi could be crucial and it may be a day of prevention rather scoring, however it does seem rather difficult to stop that young Elliot scoring.
At full-back Ben Foden who has slowly come back to form and could be the spark for Saints early on if any possession is kicked to him.
Whatever happens I hope we all have a terrific day out and I definitely count Saints as the underdogs in this match.
Oh, and as every dog has its day. Saints by 5.
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Eds - There's a glaring typo where a spell checker has changed tuilagi to tillage.
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
"The East Midlands Derby masquerading as the play-off final..."
Much more important!
"Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it."
-- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161-180 A.D.
And I woke up!
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Great stuff Bonz
Saint til I die
Quote:St.Rich Joe, Niamh and Sam's Dad
Eds - There's a glaring typo where a spell checker has changed tuilagi to tillage.
Thanks Rich, I missed that one!
Great read, bons.
