Northampton Saints v Newcastle - Preview
Duck shoot?
By Rich
September 5 2002
Saints fans will use the Church's stand for the first time, as they host Newcastle on Saturday. Falcons will surely be looking for revenge after three defeats to Saints last season. The Saints have made many interesting changes to the side that lost at Sale.
Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons
Franklins Gardens
Saturday 7th September 2002
2:00pm Kickoff
Zurich Premiership
Franklins Gardens
Saturday 7th September 2002
2:00pm Kickoff
Zurich Premiership
Last year's matches with Newcastle Falcons were special
for a whole host of reasons and this seasons home encounter is no exception.
On Saturday, the new look 12,600 capacity Franklin's Gardens holds it's first
game as a completed stadium.
The season is still young but Saints will be looking to avenge the last gasp loss at Sharks, Newcastle will be looking to build on a good start after their victory over Wasps.
TEAM NEWS
It will come as no surprise to Saints fans to see Smudger ring the changes for this encounter. Jon Sleightholme makes his first league start for two seasons on the left wing, Ben Cohen moves to outside centre (a position that both Wayne Smith and Clive Woodward are keen to try the Kingsthorpe carthorse in.) This means that Peter Jorgenson starts on the bench. Mark Connors comes in at 4 for his Saints debut and Grant Seely, the only uncapped player in the starting line up, returns to action at the expense of Mark Soden. In the front row Mattie Stewart replaces Robbie Morris.
Full squad list below:
15 NICK BEAL
14 JON SLEIGHTHOLME
13 BEN COHEN
12 JOHN LESLIE (capt)
11 ORIOL RIPOL
10 PAUL GRAYSON
9 MATT DAWSON
1 TOM SMITH
2 STEVE THOMPSON
3 MATTIE STEWART
4 MARK CONNORS
5 STEVE WILLIAMS
6 ANDREW BLOWERS
7 BUDGE POUNTNEY
8 Grant Seely
Bench: 16 Dan Richmond, 17 Robbie Morris, 18 Rob Hunter, 19 Mark Soden, 20 Ian Vass, 21 James Brooks, 22 PETER JORGENSEN.
At the time of writing no word on team matters from the Falcons camp. However this will be a very different looking Falcons side from last season without Lam, Tuigamala, Armstrong, Graham and Weir. Rob Andrew is relying on his talented young players and his established stars such as the near perfect Johnny Wilkinson and the powerful Tongan Epi Taione. Definitely missing is the luckless Dave Walder who is out with a long term injury. This may however give former Gardens favourite Joe Shaw his chance to break into the Falcons first team.
If you're not going to the game.....
It's live on Sky Sports at 14:00
You can hear live commentary on Radio Northampton or
The club in conjunction with the BBC are supplying live commentary to ALL Saints Zurich games this season on the net.
Check out the link below for commentaries.....
Saints audio
If you are going to the game.....
Keep an eye on that Northampton weather!
HISTORY
Since, under Rob Andrew, Dean Ryan, Steve Bates
and Sir John Hall, the old Gosforth club was transformed
into Newcastle Falcons there have been several
'interesting' games between the teams. The Saints
were the first opponents under the Andrew regime
and the boys did us proud in the North East totally
destroying the home side by 52 points to 9.
This game was in the second division when
the Saints won the division undefeated.
The next year a rebult Newcastle followed us up.
The next season probably produced the best two games
between the sides.
In January, undefeated in the league, and later to win the
championship, Newcastle came to Gardens and sneaked
an an abrasive bad tempered game 21-17 in controversy
as Saints had two perfectly legitimate tries disallowed.
In the Falcons ranks was a certain Patrick Lam who has of
course been a legendary Saint only to return to his former club.
Saints got revenge a month later in the Tetleys cup when they became the first side to beat Newcastle that season in a cruncher of a game at the Gardens. The sight of Tim Rodber stopping Inga the Winger in his tracks at full pelt will live with the spectators that were there that day. It was like a bufallo hitting a Volkswagen Beetle head on!
LAST SEASON
Who could forget last season's matches against the Falcons? Firstly in December, on the day of Smudger's arrival the Saints turned their miserable form on it's head to take a full five points at Kingston Park. Then came the cup semi-final where I have no adjectives to describe what was easily the best Saints performance since winning the European Cup. The Saints final league game was against Falcons and saw many farewells. Olivier Brouzet played his final game for Saints as did Joe Shaw (although we didn't know that at the time,) Pat Lam was retiring so it seemed fitting he should bow out in a match between the two clubs he had successfully captained. And last of all the old wooden main stand was seeing it's last game before being pulled down to make way for the Churches stand. Another victory for the Saints saw them into Europe for a fourth successive season.
Links to last years reports....
Falcons vs Saints December 2001
MOTM
Joe's view of the game
Saints vs Falcons May 2002
MOTM
Fan's view
ANNES O'RACKS STATS
Results Summary in the Premiership
Played 12
Saints Won 8 66.7%
Newcastle Falcons Won 4 33.3%
Drawn 0 0%
Team Greats
Biggest Win for Saints 57 - 16 27 Mar 1999
Biggest Win for Newcastle Falcons 37 - 12 08 Oct 1997
Player Greats
Saints top try scorer vs Newcastle Falcons Ben Cohen 6 tries
Saints top points scorer vs Newcastle Falcons Paul Grayson 86 points
Newcastle Falcons top try scorer vs Saints Inga Tuigamala 4 tries
Newcastle Falcons top points scorer vs Saints Jonny Wilkinson 51 points
Previous league Meetings
Season: 2001-02
12 May 2002 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 24 – 19 Franklin’s
02 Dec 2001 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 28 - 13 Kingston P
Season: 2000-01
18 Nov 2000 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 26 - 18 Franklin's
20 Aug 2000 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 21 - 27 Kingston P
Season: 1999-00
21 May 2000 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 32 - 23 Kingston P
26 Dec 1999 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 37 - 5 Franklin's
Season: 1998-99
27 Mar 1999 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 57 - 16 Franklin's
15 Nov 1998 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 35 - 45 Kingston P
Season: 1997-98
31 Jan 1998 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 17 - 21 Franklin's
08 Oct 1997 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 12 - 37 Kingston P
Season: 1993-94
30 Apr 1994 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 43 - 23 Franklin's
11 Dec 1993 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 28 - 8 Kingston P
HOW TO GET HERE
Road: From the South: Leave M1 at junction 15A and follow signs towards Sixfields, past the Sixfields Stadium on the right to the major roundabout. Take right turn onto A4500 for the Town Centre. Follow signs to Saints car park.
From the North: Exit M1 at junction 16 and follow the A45 to Northampton and follow signs to Town Centre at major traffic island. Then directions as for the South.
Rail: Turn right out of station. Follow road past the Thomas A Beckett public house, (pop in and buy Chris one!) Church's shoe factory and the bus station into a shopping area where you will see yellow signs to Saints car park.
Or ask a policeman!
The season is still young but Saints will be looking to avenge the last gasp loss at Sharks, Newcastle will be looking to build on a good start after their victory over Wasps.
TEAM NEWS
It will come as no surprise to Saints fans to see Smudger ring the changes for this encounter. Jon Sleightholme makes his first league start for two seasons on the left wing, Ben Cohen moves to outside centre (a position that both Wayne Smith and Clive Woodward are keen to try the Kingsthorpe carthorse in.) This means that Peter Jorgenson starts on the bench. Mark Connors comes in at 4 for his Saints debut and Grant Seely, the only uncapped player in the starting line up, returns to action at the expense of Mark Soden. In the front row Mattie Stewart replaces Robbie Morris.
Full squad list below:
15 NICK BEAL
14 JON SLEIGHTHOLME
13 BEN COHEN
12 JOHN LESLIE (capt)
11 ORIOL RIPOL
10 PAUL GRAYSON
9 MATT DAWSON
1 TOM SMITH
2 STEVE THOMPSON
3 MATTIE STEWART
4 MARK CONNORS
5 STEVE WILLIAMS
6 ANDREW BLOWERS
7 BUDGE POUNTNEY
8 Grant Seely
Bench: 16 Dan Richmond, 17 Robbie Morris, 18 Rob Hunter, 19 Mark Soden, 20 Ian Vass, 21 James Brooks, 22 PETER JORGENSEN.
At the time of writing no word on team matters from the Falcons camp. However this will be a very different looking Falcons side from last season without Lam, Tuigamala, Armstrong, Graham and Weir. Rob Andrew is relying on his talented young players and his established stars such as the near perfect Johnny Wilkinson and the powerful Tongan Epi Taione. Definitely missing is the luckless Dave Walder who is out with a long term injury. This may however give former Gardens favourite Joe Shaw his chance to break into the Falcons first team.
If you're not going to the game.....
It's live on Sky Sports at 14:00
You can hear live commentary on Radio Northampton or
The club in conjunction with the BBC are supplying live commentary to ALL Saints Zurich games this season on the net.
Check out the link below for commentaries.....
Saints audio
If you are going to the game.....
Keep an eye on that Northampton weather!
HISTORY
Since, under Rob Andrew, Dean Ryan, Steve Bates
and Sir John Hall, the old Gosforth club was transformed
into Newcastle Falcons there have been several
'interesting' games between the teams. The Saints
were the first opponents under the Andrew regime
and the boys did us proud in the North East totally
destroying the home side by 52 points to 9.
This game was in the second division when
the Saints won the division undefeated.
The next year a rebult Newcastle followed us up.
The next season probably produced the best two games
between the sides.
In January, undefeated in the league, and later to win the
championship, Newcastle came to Gardens and sneaked
an an abrasive bad tempered game 21-17 in controversy
as Saints had two perfectly legitimate tries disallowed.
In the Falcons ranks was a certain Patrick Lam who has of
course been a legendary Saint only to return to his former club.
Saints got revenge a month later in the Tetleys cup when they became the first side to beat Newcastle that season in a cruncher of a game at the Gardens. The sight of Tim Rodber stopping Inga the Winger in his tracks at full pelt will live with the spectators that were there that day. It was like a bufallo hitting a Volkswagen Beetle head on!
LAST SEASON
Who could forget last season's matches against the Falcons? Firstly in December, on the day of Smudger's arrival the Saints turned their miserable form on it's head to take a full five points at Kingston Park. Then came the cup semi-final where I have no adjectives to describe what was easily the best Saints performance since winning the European Cup. The Saints final league game was against Falcons and saw many farewells. Olivier Brouzet played his final game for Saints as did Joe Shaw (although we didn't know that at the time,) Pat Lam was retiring so it seemed fitting he should bow out in a match between the two clubs he had successfully captained. And last of all the old wooden main stand was seeing it's last game before being pulled down to make way for the Churches stand. Another victory for the Saints saw them into Europe for a fourth successive season.
Links to last years reports....
Falcons vs Saints December 2001
MOTM
Joe's view of the game
Saints vs Falcons May 2002
MOTM
Fan's view
ANNES O'RACKS STATS
Results Summary in the Premiership
Played 12
Saints Won 8 66.7%
Newcastle Falcons Won 4 33.3%
Drawn 0 0%
Team Greats
Biggest Win for Saints 57 - 16 27 Mar 1999
Biggest Win for Newcastle Falcons 37 - 12 08 Oct 1997
Player Greats
Saints top try scorer vs Newcastle Falcons Ben Cohen 6 tries
Saints top points scorer vs Newcastle Falcons Paul Grayson 86 points
Newcastle Falcons top try scorer vs Saints Inga Tuigamala 4 tries
Newcastle Falcons top points scorer vs Saints Jonny Wilkinson 51 points
Previous league Meetings
Season: 2001-02
12 May 2002 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 24 – 19 Franklin’s
02 Dec 2001 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 28 - 13 Kingston P
Season: 2000-01
18 Nov 2000 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 26 - 18 Franklin's
20 Aug 2000 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 21 - 27 Kingston P
Season: 1999-00
21 May 2000 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 32 - 23 Kingston P
26 Dec 1999 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 37 - 5 Franklin's
Season: 1998-99
27 Mar 1999 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 57 - 16 Franklin's
15 Nov 1998 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 35 - 45 Kingston P
Season: 1997-98
31 Jan 1998 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 17 - 21 Franklin's
08 Oct 1997 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 12 - 37 Kingston P
Season: 1993-94
30 Apr 1994 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 43 - 23 Franklin's
11 Dec 1993 Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons 28 - 8 Kingston P
HOW TO GET HERE
Road: From the South: Leave M1 at junction 15A and follow signs towards Sixfields, past the Sixfields Stadium on the right to the major roundabout. Take right turn onto A4500 for the Town Centre. Follow signs to Saints car park.
From the North: Exit M1 at junction 16 and follow the A45 to Northampton and follow signs to Town Centre at major traffic island. Then directions as for the South.
Rail: Turn right out of station. Follow road past the Thomas A Beckett public house, (pop in and buy Chris one!) Church's shoe factory and the bus station into a shopping area where you will see yellow signs to Saints car park.
Or ask a policeman!