Who is the latest COYSDC Man of the Match

By Saint Tim
December 30 2003

A few matches to cover here and some varied performances. Supporting Saints is not for the faint hearted. I have rpeviously described it as a roller coaster. This story takes in the lows of being beaten in Wales to the highs of beating and in the process doing the double over our local rivals.

Llanelli away at fortress Stradey Park on a cold Friday night. This was always going to be a difficult start to our group of death. There was a lot to like about Llanelli including some of the cheapest beer I can remember - well almost. The locals were friendly and we even ran into a guy in a Tigers shirt who must have had a death wish given how the Tigs beat Llanelli last year. Stradey Park is a traditional Rugby ground on the outskirts of town. The viewing lines were not good but the welcome made up for it. On the car on the way down we expected Llanelli to start at a high tempo and really put us under the cosh for the fist 15 to 20 minutes. In the process they would get the crowd going and it would be very difficult. They did start well but to be honest I was a little disappointed in their endeavour. The Saints defence looked much better and apart from a very odd try scored by Scott Quinnel when he was well offside our try line looked safe.

Our attack was however very like the description of humans in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - "Mostly Harmless". Saints again lacked the required precision to oupen up tight defences and when through spilled the ball. The most controversial incident was the deliberate knock into touch by the Llanelli full back when Bruce Tried to chip him as the last line of defence. This was definitely a yellow card offence but it was not given.

Best thing of the evening was the singing. Boy can these guys sing.

When it came to the vote JP and Tom Smith stood out in the forwards (who mostly went backwards as a unit that night). The winner was however Mark Robinson with 50% of the votes cast. This was his second resounding win in as many weeks. I wonder what Daws felt like as he watched perched on top of the water bottle carrier?

The next match to be covered in this report was the home match against Agen in the Heineken Cup. Agen had started the previous week with a workman like win over the Borders on their own patch. They did however play a lot of the match with fourteen as the fly half was sent of for a head butt some thirty yards off the ball. The pre match talk was about the big Agen pack - this was very correct - and from their captain on the need for discipline - also correct but not carried out. The game was only six minutes old when the Agen captain attempted to head butt young Wally. He didn't really make contact but was seen by the ref and immediately shown the red card (or Carton rouge for our French readers).

Seventy four minutes against fourteen men would have had most people think it was going to be easy. It most definitely wasn't. I don't know if Agen practice playing with 13 and 14 as they defended like terriers and even managed to take the lead with a well worked grubber kick through. On the subject of grubber kicks why do ours always seem to bounce of defenders legs? Agen still led at half time.

I don't know what Smudge and Rats said at half time but it seemed to do the trick as Saints managed to move the ball wide much quicker and create more, but not much more, space. The second half also saw Ben start to brush off his world cup cobwebs as he grabbed himself a hat trick. This was top class finishing from a player still not firing on all cylinders. Eventually Saints ran out comfortable winners but I am sure not many of us are looking forward to the return.

In the voting Tom Smith had another good showing with 29% of the vote. Tom has shown since his retrun to the fold from the world cup campaign what a good player he is. The youngsters have a lot to prove to take the shirt off this Saint! Also showing highly with his hat trick was Ben Cohen who polled 30% of the votes cast.

So first game back and a hat trick was not enough to win? So who did? Grant Seely won his first Man of the Match this season with 32% of the poll. Grant has had a very unlucky career with injuries and there were rumours he would be leaving at the end of last season. I for one was very glad he stayed. He is now showing his potential and is providing some beef at the back of the pack. Well done Grant.

So - on to the final Man of the match. The return game against the tigers played on a very wet pitch and without some star names due to the RFU money making venture down at HQ. Leicester seemed to have come through the England v NZ Bar Bars selection process slightly better than Saints. This saw Saints lose Wally (Steve Thompson), Ben Cohen and Paul Grayson whilst most of the front line Tiger pack was back. What they did lose however was both first choice centres and this showed in the game. At the start the pitch was obviously still holding water and it more singing in the rain than the normal plush Piggy's patch. That said it did not cut up at all and played true at all time. Before the game Geoff Allen read out the names of the players who had represented England from both side. All were roundly applauded. It got the feeling that we might have to be nice to Martin Johnson and Neil back etc off our chests nicely before the real stuff started.

The Saints pack was defintely up for this one. They stopped the Tigers famed rolling maul time and again and only some very generous use it or lose it time stopped much turn over ball. As I haven't examined this on video I am not sure who was at the centre of this but I think it was Rob Hunter. This guy has come on so much this year and is now Mr Dependable. The first half was pretty much all Tigs but the Saints defence was holding firm, with it looking like it could be 0 - 0 at half time Martin Johnson gave away a penalty. Shane stepped up and slotted home allowing Saints to go into 3 - 0 up.

The second half was much more even and Saints used the wind nicely to ensure that most of the play was in the Tigers half. The Saints pack continued to perform strongly and with Mark (Sharkey) Robinson sniping at his heels Leicester scrum half Austin (Little Thatched Austin) Healey had a dreadful game. His service to Pez and his centres was slow and wayward. He was also on the end of some gentle ribbing (well it wouldn't be a visit to the gardens without it would it Austin) which he didn't handle well either swearing at D block, tsk tsk Austin.

Given the conditions both teams tried to play attractive rugby. Saints becasue they wanted to, Tigers because the roliing maul was not working. As the game went on Tigers gave away two more kickable penalties which Shane neatly slotted. The only try came from a mark Robinson break which was pulled down just before the line. Andrew Blowers couldn't beleive his luck as he picked up and flopped over. The conversion was missed but the whistle went and Saints had not only won they had kept Tigers down to a nil score and done the double. To be honest this was the best Christmas present a Saint could want.

In the voting Mark Robinson ha another good showing for his all round play and the way he showed up Austin. The run away winner with 52% of the vote was Darren Fox. Darren was truly marvellous. He seems to have controlled his temper and become a much better player in the process. It wasn't so much his ball handling skills that caught the eye but the way that he made virtually every free ball on the deck his. Well done Darren.

Here are the details.

Who was your MoTM at Stradey Park ?

Tom Smith 17%
Darren Fox 4%
John Phillips 21%
Mark Robinson 50%
Andrew Blowers 4%
Mark Tucker 4%

Number of votes: 48


Who was your Man of the Match in the Victory over Agen?

Tom Smith 29%
Rob Hunter 8%
Bruce Reihana 1%
Mark Connors 0%
Ben Cohen 30%
Grant Seely 32%

Number of votes: 87


Who walked on water in the win over Tigs at the Gardens?

Darren Fox 52%
Andrew Blowers 7%
Mark Robinson 22%
Mark Connors 10%
Dan Richmond 3%
Chris Hyndman 7%

Number of votes: 114


COYSDC MOTM 2003/2004

Pre-Season.
Middlesex Sevens (HQ) Bruce Reihana
Glaws Friendly (FG) Johnny Howard

When it counts.
Sale Away (ZP) Shane Drahm (85)
Bath Away (ZP) Bruce Reihana (40)
Wasps Home (ZP) Shane Drahm (124)
Rotherham Away (ZP) Bruce Reihana (71)
London Irish Home (ZP) Matt Lord (95)
Newcastle Home (ZP) Darren Fox/Nick Beal (98)
Leicester Away (ZP) Nick Beal (102)
Gloucester Home (ZP) Andrew Blowers (special mention the whole team) (166)
Harlequins Away (ZP) Rob Hunter (45)
Bath Away (PG) Bruce Reihana (32)
Leeds Home (ZP) Shane Drahm (89)
Gloucester Away (ZP) Mark Robinson (58)
Llanelli Away (HC) Mark Robinson (48)
Agen Home (HC) Grant Seely (87)
Leicester Home (ZP) Darren Fox (114)


Table

Bruce Reihana 3
Shane Drahm 3
Mark Robinson 2
Nick Beal 1.5
Darren Fox 1.5
Matt Lord 1
Andrew Blowers 1
Rob Hunter 1
Grant Seely 1


Which unit produces the goods?

Forwards 5.5
Backs 9.5

Surely something is wrong here. I have never know a Saints pack to be so completely out scored in the MOTM stakes as this year.

This weeks poll is now up - Have a go.