Sunday Exorcism at the Kassam

On our way........
By Chris G
March 4 2003

Well if any performance deserved our oft used phrase 'hats on wheels' it was this one. The Saints were simply sublime as they laid the Twickenham Irish ghost to rest in a commanding five try display that sees us now take on Gloucester in April at HQ in the Powergen Cup Final.

The Saints travelled west in their thousands to the rugby backwater of Oxford to see the spectacle. It seemed if all roads lead to the land of dreaming spires and broken Irish dreams as coaches, cars and trains heading for the stadium they call Kassam.

Uncle Keiths Charabanc Convoy, a full twenty coaches in number, took the scenic route just arriving in time for kickoff while the city centre at lunchtime was awash with those in Gold Black n Green. But enough of the travelogue. I'll save that for Toulouse.

To the action.........

Saints started with some purpose driving the 'Paddy Powered' Exiles back from the off but failing to find that final touch that would lead to points. As is oft the case it was the Irish on virtually their first forage into the Saints half which drew first blood.

At a breakdown the Saints were viewed guilty by referee Mr White of an indiscretion.
Matt Dawson, enquiring about its legitimacy, gave Barry Everitt a simple kick as the pen was brought forward ten metres. Tut, tut Matthew.

For all their efforts the Saints were behind but stuck to the task in hand. On twelve minutes they got their just reward.

A deft little grubber was picked up by Irish scrummie Hentie Martens who was hounded out with ball in hand (by all of ¼ inch) by Archie Brooks. From the resulting lineout Deso Connors rose and feinted to feed Matt Dawson on a dummy rum. The Irish back row fell for it hook, line and sinker opening up a gap that a surprised Steve Williams, himself one of those Irish ghosts just a year ago, latched onto to stroll over for the score.

Larry converted and the Saints were well and truly in Powergen business.

Enter, a now quiet, Matt Dawson. With no one seemingly wanting to defend behind the rucks for the Exiles Daws was having a field day. As John Leslie cleared out Paul Gustard on one side of a ruck fellow Scot cleared out old Medallion Man himself, Chris Sheasby on the other and it was open sesame time for the England scrumhalf.

Matt set off on a mazy run that left half of the Irish defence for dead while he wrong footed what was left in his wake. Only a last ditch tackle by Paul Sackey stopped the try of the season being scored but Irish impeded, only for Larry to slice the penalty wide.

No matter though, Saints were back with a vengeance seconds later attacking in numbers with a combination of both backs and forwards down the blindside left flank.

And again and again and again they came back for more as whatever ball Irish had secured they seemed quite happy to give straight back to Saints one way or the other. First young Archie had a close knockon call when he was clear before it looked like a touch of Aussie magic might produce goods as Deso collected his own chip through but was held back before progress could be made.

Then just as it was going so well, Budge was caught in an offside position at a ruck (yes I know, I didn't believe it either till I watched the video) and Everitt reduced the deficit to a single point.

The score rallied the Exiles and they were back in the game and threatened for the next few minutes but in truth it was their last tangible effort of the afternoon. The Saints just soaked it up, regained composure and drove upfield once more. A series of lineouts and scrum set up the platform before referee White finally noticed that Mike Worsley had been setting at 90 degrees all afternoon.

A quick tap from Daws from the subsequent pen fed Budge on the inside who ran straight through Keiron Dawson for the score by the posts. Now I'm not one to suggest anything untoward but more than one Saints player had a quiet word with the prone Dawson and it didn't look like they were enquiring after his health. In fact it looked like Robbie Morris was accusing him of at the very least nicking his pint.

Everitt kicked a late penalty much against the run of play but from the final exchanges of the half it was clear there was only one team in the ascendancy.

Half time: Saints 14 Irish 9

Now Doctor Venters half time talks are 'alledgedly' legendary bringing grown men to tears and I really thought, right they are going to come out all guns blazing to get back into this at just five points down. How nice to be wrong!

Just fifty seconds into the half Daws from the base of a scrum fed Larry who chipped a deft ball over the top with the outside of his boot. Archie Brooks palmed it back into the hands of Deso who danced over for the try.

Larry converted and added a pen a minute later to stretch the now unassailable lead but they were not finished yet. Peter Jorgensen had been on all of thirty seconds when he another chapter to his cup exploits.

Wally peeled round the back of a lineout ball from Matt Lord while Daws carved a gap inside which he sent Archie through. Brooksy made ground at speed shredding the Irish defence. On his shoulder Jorgy took the inside pass to go over for probably our best try of the season and another in a long line of memorable cup tries for the Australian.

For the Irish the game was over but they briefly rallied again before the Saints, fired up by the sin binning of Budge, upped a gear and the fourteen men almost put Wally in a for a much deserved score in the corner. Seconds later he could have had another as a Nick Beals crossfield kick was only just cleared with Wally waiting to pounce.

Then just to confound the poor lad, from the lineout when he finally did get over the line the pass was judged forward. So for Wally, the hat trick that never was but the back row was about to get a unique triple of their own.

With Budge back to join the fray, snaffling up everything on the ground the Saints had the Exiles pinned back in their twenty two before youngster Darren Fox put the icing atop the Gold Black n Green cake.

From an Irish lineout fumble, 'Fabulous Mr Fox' scooped the ball, dragged two defenders then stepped inside to score the final try of the afternoon and follow fellow back rowers Deso and Budge into the scorebook.

Larry converted to round off a fine afternoon for all those Saintly inclined.

So on to Twickenham and with pitches getting firmer and dryer which seems to suit our game we are in with more than a shout despite what the pundits and bookmakers may think. The victory against the Irish must have also been somewhat of a confidence builder after the lacklustre game at the Gardens and of course that now avenged Twickenham game last season.

With Blowers and Cohen still to come back its going to be one helluva ride till the end of the season. Youngsters of the likes of Fox, Brooks and Hyndman are now really coming into their own and are able deputies and the squad finally appears to be have strength in depth for what could be in interesting run in on three fronts (that sounds familiar?).

With the game at Toulouse also on the horizon it looks April could well be an interesting month.

Just like I said, truly hats on wheels, hats on bloomin wheels.........

COME ON YOU SAINTS!!!!!