News: AP: Northampton Saints vs London Wasps - Match Preview
By Rob Leach
May 8 2014
It's the final round of matches in the regular season of the Aviva Premiership this weekend and Northampton Saints welcome London Wasps to Piggy's Patch seeking the one point they need to secure a home semi-final. COYSDC stalwart, Rob Leach (Bleach), takes a look ahead to the game...
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs LONDON WASPS
AP: Saturday, 10th May 2014 - 3.15pm (BT)
FRANKLIN'S GARDENS, NORTHAMPTON
MATCH PREVIEW
The Beginning
Writing a preview for the last league game of the season should not be as difficult as this but, as I stare at empty screen I’m lost for words. It’s a sort of ‘last minute thing’, the editors were struggling for volunteers, I had some time free and so I put my hand up and volunteered. For two hours now, I have been looking for an angle, I need a start, body and conclusion and yet the page stares back at me as if mocking my every effort. Hopefully, this thing will write itself and something will fall into place.
Whenever I write these previews I read the ‘oppositions’ forums to get an idea of the mind-set going into the game, with that in mind, I headed over to the Waspies.Net site...
• Tickets for home leg
• If it's a draw against Stade..
• Try of the Week
• Playoff dates and times confirmed
• Tommy Bell
• NOW too late to - PLAYER OF THE SEASON VOTE
• Sarries given up on bagging Launch?
• Any more signings
• Games this weekend on BT
• THREE Wasp dates for some diaries
No mention of the game here…
The Body
It seems that Wasps are focussed (quite rightly) on the playoff game which if they win grants them entry into the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup 2014-15. The Wasps Official site leads with articles about Ticket Arrangements and the thoughts of Dai Young re the Stade Francais game. It’s that wise old man, James Haskill that actually recognises the importance of the game on Saturday:
“You can’t expect to train badly and then go alright at the weekend. Similarly, you can’t expect to play badly one week and then pull out a top performance the week after. We want to go into what is a massive two-legged European playoff against Stade Francais in good form so we really need to be firing. If you go to a place like Franklin's Gardens a little bit half-hearted then Northampton are a side who could really school you. There is a lot of pride in this Wasps side and I have no doubt that we will give a great account of ourselves.”
“Any player, when you look at the table, wants to test himself against the best in the league and Northampton are up there. They are one of my favourite sides because they are extremely physical, they get a good crowd at Franklins Gardens and they have a lot of England players in their team. If you have any aspirations of playing at a higher level you need to fare well against the best sides in the league and this weekend is a chance for us to do that.” James Haskill.
I suppose the Saints are in a similar situation, a single point is required to guarantee a home playoff position, a European Final on the Horizon, and a possible trip to HQ to round the season off. I reckon Jim (in whom we trust) has quite a significant challenge on his hands at the moment – the game on Saturday needs to be won, players might be rested, players returning from injury need game time and yet, momentum is probably one of the greatest assets we could do with at the moment going into the ‘business end’ of the season (I do hate that phrase but can not be bothered amend it).
I remain word blind as I search for that illusive start, body and end angle – I suppose this season has been a lot like that. The season started well and yet we grew in confidence as we approached the mid term point when our senior players left for the Autumn Internationals and Six Nations. The juniors and academy lads that stepped up have got us to where we are now, three games away from becoming Premiership Champions. Of course, like this preview, the end point remains unknown the first hurdle to overcome is a single point and the senior squad emulating what was achieved during the International break. London Wasps stand in our way , a team that cannot be ignored, whatever team Dai Young chooses to play. If he selects a full strength team then Wasps are a very dangerous attacking team that scores a lot of points, if he selects ‘fringe’ players then they will want to prove themselves and become part of the Play Off games that follow. It’s all so intriguing.
Despite the period of Wasps dominance, the stats suggest that things are ‘even’ . There have been 38 games between the two sides, Saints have recorded 18 victories (Wasps 19) with one game being tied.
Wasps go into the game having beaten Falcons 44-38, narrowly losing to Bath 18-24 and a win against Gloucester 38-30.
Saints enter the game following wins against Irish , 36-21, Quins 18–10 and the 19-19 draw against Bath.
The last Wasps game against Newcastle highlighted the potential threat that they offer
Wasps: Masi; Helu, Daly, Hayter, Varndell; Goode, Simpson, Mullan, Festuccia, Swainston, Launchbury, Palmer, Johnson, Haskell, Hughes, Jones.
The Wasps faithful suggest that if players are to be rested, the potential team could be something like:
15) T. Bell 14) Short ) Howe 12) Suniula 11) Varndell 10) Carlisle 9) Davies 1) McIntyre 2) Lindsay 3) Vea 4) Cannon 5) Palmer 6) Jones 7) Thompson 8) Jackson.
I’m not even going to second guess what Jim Mallinder might do – he was quoted in the Chron:
“Samu had a little knock to his ribs in the first half so we got him off after half-time. We’ll look after him and hopefully he’s all right.”
“They’re all training well, working hard and there’s a possiblity we could see some of them against Wasps. We’ll be excited to welcome them back.”
The Endpoint
Of course, there is another event occurring (that’s the Welsh in me coming out) this Saturday which definitely has a start, body and end point. For some, the start is at Wolverton for others its at Blisworth – the body is the trek along various lengths of the Grand Union canal with the endpoint at Franklins Gardens. Its rude of me to include a brief advert for the SWH effort during this preview but I can not fail to remember the man that was West Midlands Saint (WMS) or Mark Coleman. Newer members of this forum would not have had the pleasure of reading the many poems that Mark used to write about any subject that dominated the message boards at the time. He was extremely gifted with his use of words and missed by all that knew him. With thanks to Simon (Smurf) I have included two relevant efforts.. the first was his thoughts on Mat Dawson’s first game for Wasps when he returned to FG for the first time – the second was his response to those that supported our early efforts in fund raising for the British Heart Foundation
THE RETURN OF THE JEDI
There was a old scrum half from Wycombe
Played for us.....in those days we could pick 'em!
But he found a new job
For his gold boots and gob.
His new club? Today Saints'll lick 'em.
'Safternoon - Jar Jar wears his new hat
Said things - like a little, spoiled brat.
But wherever Saints roam
There's always a HOME!
For air own Multi Media Matt.
So as he runs out on Pig's patch
To play in his homecoming match
Let's all raise the ceiling
Display no hard feeling
But then - the boy's starting from scratch.
MORE ON SWH
First Bleach, then Saintsby and finally me
Have become Jimmy's Cardiac Club.
We knew we had mates but your care and support
Make me, frankly, quite likely to blub.
What people you are!
Though for some times are tight
You've dug deep and searched in your souls.
You've badgered, and begged, cajoled and then egged
Folk to fill up our charity bowls.
What kind of people can be as you are?
Whose kindness to others extends
Ah yes - now I know –
The three of us blessed
By so many that we can call FRIENDS.
So the preview sort of wrote itself. If we have aspirations of becoming champions and cup winners then the Saints need a confidence booster on Saturday – momentum remains the key as I suggested at the outset. I will not have the legs to take me home on Saturday so leaving early is not an option for me, I have to wait for my lift home. I’m looking forward to an open game and a lot of tries – no scratch that, I’m looking forward to the minimum of one point.
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And good luck and fine weather to all the SWH walkers. If, like me, you are injured and unable to make it this year, then you know what to do:
Just Giving sites for Bleach, Saint Rich and Chris G - and many others, I have no doubt.
*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*
Saint 'til I die
Purely coincidental, I found my copy of the book of WMS poems this morning whilst cleaning out a drawer. The cleaning still needs finishing but I've spent a wonderful hour, with a tear in my eye, being inspired for the walk on Saturday.
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Please sponsor me for Saints with Heart [www.justgiving.com]
Quote:oldtoastersaint
You get one point for four tries, win or lose. Wasps need nothing so will probably chuck it around even in the rain. We have an eighty five points difference advantage over Tigers, what could possibly go wrong?
We are more than capable of screwing this up ;-) We wont though. I have faith.
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