News: LV= Cup: Saracens vs Northampton Saints - Preview
By St Dom
November 4 2010
The Autumn Internationals kick-in in the Rugby Union world this week and we also see the start of this season's LV= Anglo Welsh Cup. Northampton Saints are the current holders of the trophy and St Dom looks ahead to their Sunday afternoon trip to Saracens...
Saracens vs Northampton Saints
Vicarage Road, Watford, Herts
Sunday, 7th November 2010. 3pm
MATCH PREVIEW
Competition: LV= Cup – Holders: Northampton Saints
London Saracens – to give them their assumed name – are Saints’ next opponents. They are a fine, well-drilled, hard-hoofing and damaging team: just look at Saints’ last few results against the Fractions.
Fractions? I hear you cry… Well, arithmetic is not my strong point, but it seems Saracens (or Sarries, as they like to be called) are part-London, part-Watford, part-South Africa and…wait for it [drumroll] possibly part-Barnet (mooted as their next bivouac)!
So they are nomads, but none the worse for that, some might spit…
Adding an unusual bit of edge to the proceedings is this week’s news that the (now re-named) very bad Dr Venter has been fined €25,000 for “misconduct”: it’s official, then – he is not good any more. In fact, his crime was not just bringing the game into disrepute, for he has been found guilty of “being inappropriately critical of the ERC, Heineken Cup, the match officials and the sport of rugby union…” The question in the future might be: what hasn’t the very bad Dr Venter done?
Away from such crimes and back to rugby. A glance at recent records is alarming: Saracens have the best record of any visiting side to Northampton, gaining seven Premiership wins there over the years. Carlos Spencer’s impudent overhead kick, which contributed to Saracens’ most humiliating defeat at FG in 2006, seems a whole generation ago. (For those who did not see that game, here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T126TYBorhA )
Already this season (26 September 2010) Saints have tasted the bitter stench of defeat at Vicarage Road, when a bad-tempered game ended with Northampton on the wrong end of a Dave Pearson-whistled defeat:
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Saracens |
24 -
17 |
Northampton |
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Tries: |
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Penalties: |
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Penalties: |
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Drop-goals: |
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The Sorries Stars are the South African Schalk Brits, Dave Strettle, and the prolific Hougaard (8 successful kicks in the last game). But their magnificent South African kicker is injured and will not be playing, hence the signing of one Gavin Henson from the Welsh Hairsprays – who won’t be playing either.
But Sorries are also smarting after an unexpected defeat at home against Exeter, 9-23, which came after a narrow win away (against Saints’ most recent opponents) Newcastle. On that occasion, they scraped home 13-15, entirely on the strength of 5 penalties from young Goode, who must have thought he was the obvious replacement fly-half, until Henson shot over the horizon like a hairy orange haemorrhoid from the nether regions of somewhere Celtic…
Earlier this season, the hard-to-hug hoofers miraculously beat Leicester at home with a phenomenal comeback in the last quarter to win 26-20. On that occasion, they sliced through the famed Tiggers defence like a hot poker up a cow’s @rse.
For Saints, Hartley, Lawes, Dowson, Wood, Ashton and Foden were called up for England’s team against NZ. Dowson and Wood were returned to Saints but, as they have not been able to participate in full training with the rest of the team, they may not be regarded as available for selection. And (a personal gripe here) I would like to say that another Saint has been called up for international duty, but this is one we let go – Will Harries, who will start for Wales against the Australians. He made his name in this very LV= Cup last season when he scored two dazzling tries against (you’ve guessed it) Saracens at Vicarage Road – a feat that few feet will repeat.
International call-ups might suggest a front row of the ever-present, ever-willing Tonga’uhia and Mujati (although, deservedly, they should be rested in favour of Dreyer and Mercey). So might Jim go for a Wanderers-based team – which will be entertaining for some – or could it be a blend of experience and youth? I think the former, but with a couple of key twists.
Euan (NeveronaSunday) Murray is unavailable, so we might see a line-up comprising:
15 Greig Tonks
14 Charlie Sadler
13 Glyn Hughes
12 Matt Cornwell
11 Scott Armstrong
10 Shane Geraghty
9 Ryan Powell
1 Regardt Dreyer
2 Andy Long
3 Tom Mercey
4 Dan Sanderson
5 Mark Sorenson
6 James Ingle
7 Calum Clarke
8 Mark Easter
Replacements may feature the likes of Jamie Elliott, Stuart Commins, Adam
Eustace, Brett Sharman and Paul Diggin. And I wonder when Bruza will return.
Prediction: We will score more tries but they will win…
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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
But the only certain thing about my selection is that it will be very little like Jim's...
Quote:Big bad dom...
who must have thought he was the obvious replacement fly-half, until Henson shot over the horizon like a hairy orange haemorrhoid from the nether regions of somewhere Celtic…
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
Well done that man!
“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
Just Saracens, although looking likely to be in North London, close to their historical home, next season.
Saint til I die