News: AP: Northampton Saints vs London Irish - Match Preview
By SAINT_aitch
November 24 2010
This Friday evening, the top two teams in the Aviva Premiership go head-to-head as London Irish travel to Franklins Gardens. The two week break from the Premiership ended last weekend as Saints reinforced their credentials with a hard fought win away at Edgeley Park. Irish however lost their league topping spot by going down to a suddenly rejuvenated Wasps side at Adams Park.
Northampton Saints, now leading the pack by just 3 points from Irish, can be 7 or 8 points ahead if things go our way this Friday but let’s take nothing for granted, Irish will be smarting from their loss at Wasps and will not want to lose their grip on the top of the table with the likes of Saracens currently only a BP win behind them and Gloucester only 2 points further back – who, incidentally go head to head at Castle Grim on Saturday which should be a ‘no holds barred’ contest. Add to that the fact that Falcons are away to Tigers this week for whom a BP win could see a big change around in 3rd, 4th and 5th places in the league.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs LONDON IRISH
AP: Friday 26th November 2010. 19:45
FRANKLINS GARDENS
MATCH PREVIEW
Yet another floodlit and hopefully atmospheric evening will be had at Franklins Gardens this Friday in what should be a packed house as we see the top two clash for honours. This will be the third week running we have played on a Friday evening, but normal service should be resumed after this week at least until the New Year. Personally, and despite the fact that I have to travel up from Hampshire, I don’t mind the Friday evening games at all and this one is really whetting the appetite.
London Irish have had a pretty good season so far losing just twice in the Premiership and giving a pretty good account of themselves in the Heineken Cup too comfortably beating Munster at home only to lose by a similar margin the following week to Ospreys. It would seem though that they are not paying too much importance to the LV= cup at all losing in some fashion to both Sale and Scarlets although it could be said that they perhaps do not have the strength in depth that Saints have been fortunate enough to demonstrate through the recent LV= pool matches what with International call ups and resting some key players, notably a certain Mr R. Lamb who has been metronomic in his kicking and accounting for a good percentage of Irish’s points tallies.
As for this week’s match, I am sure Ryan Lamb will start and play a significant role in the London Irish efforts to regain top spot, as will other noticeable absentees from recent matches, Clarke Dermody, Topsy Ojo, Big Bad Bob Casey, and Paul Hodgson among them but, like Saints, it seems that their squad is just not complete at the moment as they miss the likes of Seilala Mapusua and George Stowers who played excellent games for Samoa last Saturday. Irish have also missed Delon Armitage in the No. 11 or 15 shirt although these two positions have been covered fairly comfortably recently by Tom Homer, and not so comfortably by Jamie Lennard in full back and Jonathon Joseph on the wing. Armitage has, however, been released from Martin Johnson’s England squad and will be arriving at The Gardens with a point to prove to the England management.
The reports (according to London Irish fans) from Adams Park would seem to indicate that they are missing their international players more than expected, that those players standing in do not, perhaps have the fitness to last the full 90 odd minutes, and that the referee did not have a good game. The score sheet though would suggest that despite the fact they scored 3 tries (2 converted) and 2 penalties, Wasps were the sharper team who made the most of their chances and showed some stylish passing skills. Either way, Irish are still to be seen as a serious contender to the premiership crown this season and will show the dogged determination this week to prove it to a Saints team who, despite 6 international call up’s and a couple of recent injuries are showing resilience and determination of their own in not letting our current England and Scotland hero’s absence phase them.
On the contrary, it would seem that whilst Dylan, Long Arm, Fodes, Flash, Euan and Joey are away we have some very capable stand-ins keen to demonstrate their abilities to Jim and Dorian and credit must be given to the conditioning and training programme given to these guys that is allowing us to see some potential from the youth of Greig Tonks and Jamie Elliott, along with the warhorse that is Digger posing a constant threat, Mark Sorenson and Daisy doing a sublime job and Brett Sharman and Andy Long ably filling the boots of Captain Dylan. Along with the remaining first team regulars they are proving to be quite a handful for any opposition as the recent draw away to Saracens goes to prove.
It’s fair to say that, from a Saints fan perspective, one look at the team sheet for the Sale match last week and I was thinking to myself, that’s not half bad a team there and we have 6 or 7 key players unavailable. That massive pack of ours flanked by Tom Wood and Phil Dowson, with the likes of Dreyer, Mercey, Easter and Wilson on the bench supporting the likes of Clarkey and Downey who have such presence in the midfield. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Bruce’s name on the bench and would have liked to see him get a run out last Friday evening even if it was for the last 10 minutes or so as I am sure he is gagging to get back on the pitch as much as I am desperate to see him, but with Tonks steady, Digger proving a handful for any defence and young Mr Elliott really getting the bit between his teeth, I can see why Jim decided to let Bruce be a spectator for another week. Plus the fact that Jim knows he will get a massive cheer should he run out at FG this week.
Recent Premiership history between our two clubs is, ever so slightly in our favour this week. You need to go back to March 2009 for the last time we lost to Irish, and November 2004 for the last time we lost at Franklins Gardens to them but, you may remember that match in January this year when they played us pretty damn close as Shane had his kicking boots on and we sneaked a win 24-22 and even April last year we only won by 4 points. If we come into this match with any kind of complacency, they will punish us.
I think that our forwards will be the winning margin for us this week, mostly because they have shown demonic strength recently as some teams have been pushed around the park. Irish are renowned for their forward skills and set pieces and it is often where they dictate a game, but they are falling short in this department recently and will come up against a Saints team who are now taking these parts of the game and using them to feed a back line who have grown in confidence and skills this season but who, without the presence of Dixon are just missing something from the half back position and Ryan Powell is having to learn very quickly how to deal with it.
Possible teams and score Predictions:
Despite the fact that they are missing a few key players, Irish still have a quite formidable line up with potency through the backs especially so my guess for their team sheet is:
London Irish team
15 – D. Armitage
14 – T. Ojo
13 – E. Seveali’i
12 – D. Bowden
11 – J. Jospeh
10 –R. Lamb
9 – P. Hodgson
1 – C. Dermody
2 – D. Paice
3 – F. Rautenbach
4 – N. Kennedy
5 – Bob Casey
6 – M. Garvey
7 – S. Armitage
8 – Richard Thorpe
Saints Team
A couple of options for us this week and Jim will try to keep some rotation where he can whilst letting the youngsters off the leash as much as possible but realising that he needs to have this game in the bag and doesn’t risk giving Ryan Lamb a shot at too many penalties.
15 – Greig Tonks
14 – Bruce Reihana
13 – Jon Clarke
12 – James Downey
11 – Paul Diggin
10 – Stephen Myler
9 – Ryan Powell
1 – Soane Tonga’uiha
2 – Brett Sharman
3 – Brian Mujati
4 – Mark Easter
5 – Christian Day
6 – Calum Clark
7 – Phil Dowson
8 – Roger Wilson
Replacements
16 – Andy Long
17 – Regardt Dreyer
18 – Tom Mercey
19 – Mark Sorenson
20 – Tom Wood
21 – Shane Geraghty
22 – Jamie Elliott
Saints by 10.
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Many thanks!
Saint til I die
Saint til I die
Just a few corrections to the likely team.
Wigglesworth is refereeing so it'd be a red-rag to a bull to play Paice from the off - suggest Buckland will start.
Hala'ufia has been the number 8 of choice - he came-off injured late against Wasps but it would have to be a mighty hit indeed to keep Chris down - Thorpe is his likely replacement, though,
Garvey has been superb but doesn't tend to start - being so young - Roche with his dodgy Movemeber 'tache has been taking the 6 slot.
- Irish
- London
- Funny
"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.
Quote:Griff
Wigglesworth is refereeing so it'd be a red-rag to a bull to play Paice from the off - suggest Buckland will start.
But then since he left here so is 'Cabbage' when he plays Northampton...
But then like myself he's an Aylesbury boy so can't be all bad.
And yep good preview Sir!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:11:24:15:03:26 by ChrisG.
Quote:Griff
Nice preview, all the better for failing to use the tired "Not Not" epithet so popular over here.
You are, however deducted 3 points for the above.
Hizzonner JJ Blackett will be calling you in for a chat and to decide what action he (Judge, Jury and executioner) will take
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
Saint til I die
( sod originality )
..Saint til I die
( sod originality )
love cut and paste :-)
Good preview for the match against the NotNots
Can't see Bunny in second row, though, did you mean the other Mark - Sorenson?
It's going to be a cracker!
[news.bbc.co.uk]
Respect given and looking forward to the challenge the game presents.
Quote:GMC LI
Je désapprouve ce que vous dites, mais je défendrai à la mort votre droit à le dire
Agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment. But why the French ?
Saint til I die
You are therefore correct to imply that the English version is the original. It was written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall in 1906 so help me Wiki...
Now for a more obscure one, which well-known English author quoted " O ghastly glories of Saints, dead limbs of gibbeted Gods!" in his last book and for a try bonus point name the poet and the title of the poem from which it was taken.
Its NOT Shakespeare and NOT Charles Dickens.
Saint til I die
That's a belter of a first post!
"It's not the despair, Saints, I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't stand."
Saint til I die
15 all.
Saint til I die
That post certainly increased the IQ level required to read this board - hence the fact that Howlin ignored it
“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 can't be bothered to translate the French.
R.
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
Not big on poetry in Hull (cue Phillip Larkin)
As for the game now seeing the teams I think if Irish can get some parity up front they might edge it. Big question is can they get anything near parity. Big night for Tiny, Brett & the Mooj.
Saint til I die