News: Saints stop Baths winning streak in a Feisty Match

By Ogee
December 29 2013

Back to reality! The Christmas excesses are at an end, and now we get down to the proper world at Franklins Gardens. Nice clear day, just right for the festival of Rugby everyone is expecting. The Press make us favourites, but I am not sure. Bath are really on a roll and looking at their team sheet, don’t see too many weak links. Bump into JJ’s Dad, Ivan, outside the Rodber. We used to play in the same OG’s side before he moved to the Gardens. No split loyalties there, then!! He hedges his bets and hopes for a draw.

Aviva Premiership Round 11

Northampton Saints vs Bath Rugby

Saturday 28^th December - Franklins Gardens K-O 3.00pm

Things then start to go horribly wrong. The queue for beer at the marquee in the Village is outside the door just after 2.00pm. There seems to be a very large number of Bath favours on display in the village. Nowhere near the same amount of space that we usually have in the Burrda. Let’s get this game started.

Hooray, we actually catch the kick-off and a good kick return as well. Then disaster!! Luke Pearce gets a Glaswegian Kiss from Rob Webber (totally accidental) and the ‘F’ word rears its ugly head. We knew we were safe from Waynetta, but who had noticed Foxy was our 4^th official? He arrives, (eventually) to “rapturous” applause. Nothing gets any better. We are mullered in the ensuing scrum, 3 points after an everlasting wait for Ford to take the kick.

Poor old Ken again shows his inexperience at full back with a weak kick to nowhere which is gobbled up by Bath, and their back line stroll in for the try – 10 nil. Another penalty after a whole series of unforced errors. 13 nil and only about 15 minutes gone. Memories of Leinster loom large amongst hopeful mutterings of “A good game to win”.

In previous years things would only get worse, but one of the major improvements this year is in belief, (so long as you forget Leinster). Slowly but surely we work our way towards the Sturtridge. The scrum is not going at all well, but the lineout is still strong. Following one particularly forceful rush, which appear to be stopped by an illegal tackle, Bath are one down for slowing down the ball. This proves the catalyst that is needed. The boys in B G & G are not well known for capitalising on reduced numbers, but it’s different this time. Wave after wave crash against the Bath foreshore until Daisy appears on the wing (!) to storm over. Smiler (Marmite as we call him) then boots over a magnificent kick from the touchline and you can almost see the confidence level rise several notches. The backs are contributing hugely, not least Jamie Elliott who somehow manages to out leap his opposite number (surely it is not Bananaman !!) to win the ball for George Pisi to force his way over, again magnificently converted. Expensive sin bin for Bath.

Jamie himself crosses after another flowing move, converted. Suddenly we are 21.13 at half time. Would not have believed that was possible 20 minutes earlier.

Mr Fox is his usual wondrously inconsistent self. Ma’afu (am I alone in wondering what he brings to the side??) has already been lucky in going unpunished for an earlier misdemeanour, when he decides to try his right hook out on Louw. It is retaliation, but Mr F clearly sees it, watches it again on the Big Screen, then tells him not to be a naughty boy! With most refs that would have been yellow for Louw and red for Ma’afu.

Second half

Need a good start to part two, and we get it. Bath kick out on the full and from a series of rolling mauls from the lineout Daisy appears where he should be, at the coal face, and goes over for his second. Careful Christian or you will have to buy a jug.

Somewhat surprisingly, the pack are struggling in many of the set pieces and after a series of drives from a lineout, Webber emerges from the heap to claim the spoils. By this time Ken has left the fray to be replaced by Tom Collins (in a previous life used to watch his dad scoring shed loads of goals for Rushden and Diamonds ). Who on earth is full back now?? I do hope the new Samoan survived his run out for the Wandies on Friday night.

Not just the attack going well. George North puts in a wonderful last ditch lunge to kick the ball clear when a try seems certain and Daisy puts in a try saving tackle. But the attacking pressure is really starting to build. George North makes a crashing break and after a switch, another 5 points. Geoff awards it to Callum, but unless he has had a very quick visit to the tattooist, I think you will find it is Samu!

Score now 33-18 but you still do not feel it is in the bag. With backs like Bath’s and a scrum going so well, nothing is certain. A searing break through the midfield leads to a foot race between JJ and Tom, which the latter wins quite easily (electrifying pace!). From the 5 yard scrum, horror of horrors we are pushed over. I would hope DW has his hair dryer out before the next game!

By this time George Pisi has been hobbling around with cramp for ages. Whatever he has been doing during his ‘holiday’, he has not been keeping his stamina levels up. For some reason he is left on until he cannot walk. Is Glenn Dickson not trusted or something? Eventually he comes on, George North goes to centre and Tom goes to the wing. Why did this not happen 20 minutes earlier??

It is over 70 minutes before Marmite gets a penalty kick at goal. Like all the others, he hits the target (OK, I know one hit the post but that still means he hit the target). Probably makes the game safe but there is still enough threat for Bath to score and take a bonus point, which we certainly do not want to happen.

In pressing for this Bath start to throw the ball around like a hot potato until the inevitable happens, it is dropped, Dicko scoops it up, flicks it to Big George, whose smile filled Jimmy’s End as he crashed over. More fuel for Marmite.

FINAL SCORE SAINTS 43 BATH 25

So, eventually a good day at the office, score probably a bit flattering and Bath will be well p----d off not to have got a bonus point. As someone in the Burrda said, you don’t often score 25 points away from home and go home with nothing.

Just a few final thoughts

Where were the Bath Fans? Plenty in evidence in the village, but they made far more noise in the ‘A League’ Final against the Wandies last week.

When is George North going to be used less as a decoy and more as a winger? His influence when he has the ball is enormous but he has to go looking for it. It seems that almost always when he is on the end of a flowing move someone throws an enormous dummy which is rarely bought and George is left stranded.

WHEN WILL THE NEW FULL BACK BE FIT TO BE CONSIDERED? PLEASE !!!!!

Comment From Christian Day and Jim Mallinder:

News: Saints stop Baths winning streak in a Feisty Match

Posted by: ComeOnYouSaints.com (IP Logged)

Date: 29/12/2013 19:35

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