PGC Match Preview - Worcester vs Saints
By Maverick
October 1 2005
“Palam mutire plebeio piaculum est.” “It is a sin for a plebian to grumble in public” - Phaedrus (Thrace of Macedonia).
And so, the Plebs have had a fine time in the last few days as they sought to dissect, dismember and flail every part of the Saints play in the controversial game against Gloucester last weekend.
And the result? Player safety MUST come first. Whatever the touchline shenanigans of the coaching team, what would you rather see, uncontested scrums or a player in a neck-brace being carried gingerly from the field by a team of concerned medics. And Gloucester won. Just. If Saints had scored at the end and snatched victory then I suspect we would have seen Glaws coach Dean Ryan staking his claim for a place in the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” movie, playing the part of Violet Beaureguard, all blown up with self-righteous indignation.
Let’s move on. Saints travel to Worcester this weekend in week one of the Powergen Cup. Over the years this competition has thrown up some great confrontations, the big boys against the young whippersnappers. Regrettably, the powers that be have seen fit to tinker with this fine competition and we will no longer get the opportunity to travel to the likes of Orrell or do battle with our Bedford neighbours. Instead we have four groups of four teams, three games (in our case two away, one at home), and the team finishing top of each group qualifies for semi-finals next March. In what has been a regional carve-up, Saints are grouped with Worcester, Leicester and Newport Gwent Dragons. Oh, hadn’t I mentioned the Welsh yet? Yup, each group has representation from across Offa’s Dyke as the RFU seek to hold on to the sponsors money. Extra television fees from S4C, and around £6 million from the BBC must have made the change in the competition’s rules and entry criteria all too easy for the blazers at HQ. So, what do we have? A mish-mash of Celtic League, Heineken Cup Lite with a bit of a knock-out at the end. I must say, it leaves this writer just a little cold and indifferent (although, ask me again when we’re in the final with a Heineken Cup place at stake!).
There has been discussion this week about how seriously the clubs would take the Powergen Cup this year. Indeed, Bristol have announced that they will rest all fifteen first-choice players for their game against Bath. With regard to Saints, that question was answered resoundingly by the coaching team when they announced their squad for the trip to Worcester…
15 BRUCE REIHANA (capt)
14 SEAN LAMONT
13 Jon Clarke
12 DAVID QUINLAN
11 BEN COHEN
10 CARLOS SPENCER
9 MARK ROBINSON
1 TOM SMITH
2 Dan Richmond
3 Colin Noon
4 SELBORNE BOOME
5 Damien Browne
6 STEVE THOMPSON
7 Darren Fox
8 Mark Soden
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Chris Budgen, 18 Matt Lord, 19 SAM HARDING, 20 Johnny Howard, 21 Rhodri Davies,22 Seamus Mallon
A full strength team then from those available. In the forwards, Dan Richmond replaces the errant Dylan Hartley at hooker with Steve Thompson retaining his spot in the back row in the absence of Daniel Browne. The other change in the front row sees Colin Noon make his first start in the Green, Black and Gold. A man with a point to prove after spending the last six months banned for stamping whilst with Rotherham, big things are hoped from 17 stone, 29 year-old who can thank Saints for giving him the chance to get his career back on the rails. The return of Selborne Boome to the first XV is a welcome sight as Saints once again have to take on a big pack with Matt Lord taking Boome’s spot on the bench. Mark Soden gets a deserved start at Number Eight.
With the backs unchanged as they continue to gel as a unit the other big news comes on the bench. Sam Harding will surely take to the park at some stage during the afternoon, just days after arriving from Canterbury in New Zealand. Taking into account this week’s confirmation of the signing of French lock David Gerard (exclusively revealed on Comeonyousaints.com!), it appears the Saints player jigsaw is finally revealing its picture.
At the time of writing no Worcester team news is available but we could well be seeing three Saints old boys in the starting XV. Tevita Taumeopeau is likely to take his place in the front row of a heavy weight pack whilst Mark Tucker should start at centre. One to watch, then? The ex-Saint triumvirate is completed by Shane Drahm. He gave everything to help keep Saints a Premiership team last term and he seems to have settled in quite nicely at Sixways. The penalty count will again be crucial anywhere from the halfway line because Shane will kick us out of the game given the chance. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, sort out your discipline, Saints!
Saints record against Worcester is absolutely shocking! We’ve never beaten them. O.K, we’ve only played them twice but it’s just not good enough! Given the performance (if not the result) against Gloucester, my glass is slowly filling. Saints have put their cards firmly on the table this weekend and it’s up to the squad to fulfil the faith that Budge and Grays have shown and play the winning hand. After a couple of downbeat previews let’s be a little positive.
Saints by five.
Note: Please don’t forget that Comeonyousaints.com’s annual fund raising for the British Heart Foundation is now in full swing. It’s still not too late to register a team for our BIG BIG Quiz Night, 7th October 2005, to be held in the Rodber Suite, Franklins Gardens with a 8pm kick-off. The quiz is of course just the starter to our main meal which is the “Saints With Heart IV” Charity Walk which will be strolled from Wolverton (long walk) or Stoke Bruerne (short walk) arriving at FG before the Guinness Premiership match against London Irish. Full details of both events can be found on the “SWH IV” message-board on Comeonyousaints.com. Even if you are unable to take part in either event, please consider sponsoring a walker or making a donation to our favoured charity. Thank you.
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