London Irish vs Northampton Saints - Match Preview
The Saints Ed?
By Billy Hamilton
October 22 2002
When I started writing these previews this season I was very careful not to get into predicting the results. This policy is needed this week, as this game is one that is too close to call.
London Irish vs Northampton Saints
Sun 27 Oct at Madejski Stadium - KO 15:00
Game preview
By Billy Hamilton
Last season we had a comfortable 48-12 win at the Madejski Stadium, our largest victory over the Saints. Then a rejuvenated Saints took their revenge in a bloody encounter at Franklin’s Gardens in the last game of 2001. Then we come to 20/04/02 a day never to be forgotten. We went into that game thinking that we could lift the cup but even the most optimistic of us could not anticipate the margin of our victory. We went down to the Saints 14-38 in the Zurich Championship in May a result that should be ignored as we put out a weak side and did not really look as if we wanted to progress.
This season we have only won one game in the Premiership against the four victories to Northampton. Northampton had a comfortable win against Ulster in the Heineken Cup and then a narrow three-point defeat by French champions Biarritz. In the same competition we have got our act together and came within five points of Toulouse and then had a marvellous win against Edinburgh last Sunday.
Our only Premiership win in the last five outings at Madejski Stadium was the 32-10 victory over Saracens on 15 September. But the Saints do not have a good away record. Their away Premiership victory this season came at Bristol on 15 September, and they have not managed to score a try bonus point away from Franklin's Gardens since a 28-13 win at Newcastle last December.
So with the drummers behind us and a matching performance our war cry must be "Remember 20th April".
PS – Don’t forget to put your clocks back on Saturday night
Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership
Played 17
London Irish Won 5 29.4%
Northampton Saints Won 11 64.7%
Drawn 1 5.9%
Biggest Win for London Irish 48 - 12 18 Nov 2001
Biggest Win for Northampton Saints 51 - 10 13 Dec 1997
London Irish top try scorer vs Northampton Saints Niall Woods 6 tries
London Irish top points scorer vs Northampton Saints Niall Woods 55 points
Northampton Saints top try scorer vs London Irish Budge Pountney 4 tries
Northampton Saints top points scorer vs London Irish Paul Grayson 116 points
Previous Meetings
Date Teams Result Venue
19 May London Irish vs Northampton
2002 Saints 14 - 38 Madejski Stadium
29 Dec London Irish vs Northampton
2001 Saints 15 - 24 Franklin's Gardens
18 Nov London Irish vs Northampton
2001 Saints 48 - 12 Madejski Stadium
17 Mar London Irish vs Northampton
2001 Saints 13 - 10 Madejski Stadium
26 Aug London Irish vs Northampton
2000 Saints 10 - 27 Franklin's Gardens
26 Jan London Irish vs Northampton
2000 Saints 20 - 44 The Stoop
13 Nov London Irish vs Northampton
1999 Saints 19 - 24 Franklin's Gardens
05 Jan London Irish vs Northampton
1999 Saints 32 - 8 Franklin's Gardens
24 Oct London Irish vs Northampton
1998 Saints 10 - 26 The Avenue
22 Apr London Irish vs Northampton
1998 Saints 18 - 33 Franklin's Gardens