GP - Saracens vs Saints Preview
By Maverick
November 4 2005
It can’t be easy being Budge. You’ve steered a side from the brink of relegation last season onto a steady start this campaign and the expectant supporters and starting to feel a little, err, expectant.
Before the weekend just past, Saints had won four on the bounce and all was, if not rosy then, certainly turning a comely shade of pink. And then we played Bristol. What was effectively our first XV from those available managed to play for almost seventy minutes as a 7s side. It would appear that the forwards decided to conserve their energy to make sure they were wide awake for Des’s first appearance on Countdown in midweek. And still the backs’ efforts ensured that we could have had Bristol at the end once the other half of the team decided to play. To paraphrase Sir Winston Churchill, "Saints is a riddle wrapped ina mystery inside an enigma". We know that our back line is potentially the most destructive in the Guinness Premiership but what good is it if those at the coalface cannot supply good ball to the flyers. In a similar vein (taking liberties again), Longfellow wrote (sort of), “When Saints were good, they were very good indeed, but when they were bad they were horrid”. A first half of solid defence ended with a contender for try of the season as Saints worked the ball from deep but it was the start of the second period that saw Bristol run amok and build up a lead that was ultimately insurmountable. What a Carry On! Follow that Camel… This weekend, Saints travel down the permanent car park that is the M1 to Watford to face Steve Diamond's Saracens side. An astute coach he may be but "Dimes" has done little to endear himself to the Saintly faithful in recent times. Whilst a Sale he provoked justified wrath as Andrew Blowers lay prostrate on the ground after a late hit by Kevein Yates. Mr D was immediately at pitch-side, screaming for AB to get up whilst the player was obviously unconscious. And then there's the tactic of getting his water carriers to interfere with play at every available opportunity when the ball leaves the field of play, preventing potential quick throw-ins. It may sound as though I'm just raking over old wounds here but that is not my intention. It's just a side of rugby that I'd rather not see from a man whose record suggests should be above such nonsense. On Thursday, Saints DOR, Budge Pountney named the following squad for Saturday’s fixture… 15 BRUCE REIHANA (capt) 1 TOM SMITH Four changes then to the XV which took the park against Bristol, three due to international call-ups and one tactical. Grant Seely makes his first start this season after recovering from knee surgery with Sam Harding dropping to the bench. With Steve Thompson away with England, Dan Richmond takes the number two shirt. In the backs, Ben Cohen’s return to the international fold means a start for John Rudd although Rhino starts on the right wing with Sean Lamont switching sides. Sean has been released from the Scotland squad after suffering a finger injury. At present it is not certain how serious the injury is and, with this mind, we may yet see Paul Diggin feature in the squad. Digger is currently travelling reserve. The final change is in the centres with Rhodri Davies making his first Saints start. David Quinlan has returned from Ireland but his absence from training at Franklin’s Gardens this week means he warms the bench alongside new signing Pat Barnard. Expect to see Barnard at some point on Saturday. Steve Diamond named the following team to take on Saints… 15 Dan Scarborough, 14 Richard Haughton, 13 Mark Bartholomeusz, 12 Kevin Sorrell, 11 Paul Bailey, 10 Glen Jackson, 9 Alan Dickens, 1 Kevin Yates, 2 Matt Cairns, 3 Cobus Visagie, 4 Simon Raiwalui, 5 Iain Fullarton, 6 Hugh Vyvyan, 7 David Seymour, 8 Ben Skirving 16 Andy Kyriacou, 17 Ben Broster, 18 Kris Chesney,19 Steffon Armitage, 20 Kyran Bracken, 21 Ben J Russell, 22 Adam Powell Saracens lose three players to international duty with Shane Byrne, Thomas Castaignede and Moses Rauluni all away representing their respective countries but this has the look of a very solid side. If the likes of Corbus Visagie and Kevin Yates give Sarries forward supremacy then it could be a very long afternoon for Saints. Glen Jackson is a thinking man’s fly-half in the Paul Grayson mould and will not hesitate to kick the corners to establish field position. Bartholomeusz, making his first start of the season, adds another option with the boot. Earlier this week, Saints coach, Paul Grayson described the performance against Bristol as a “blip”. Saturday’s game will go a long way to us seeing whether he is correct. Saracens have won their last four matches in all competitions and have only lost one of their last seven at home. In contrast, Saints have only won once on their last five Premiership travels. I have an uneasy feeling about this one. If the Saints forwards can front up and give Carlos good ball then Saints can take something out of this game. If they put in a similar performance to last weekend then it will be Murder at the Vicarage.
14 John Rudd
13 Jon Clarke
12 Rhodri Davies
11 SEAN LAMONT
10 CARLOS SPENCER
9 MARK ROBINSON
2 Dan Richmond
3 Colin Noon
4 Damien Browne
5 DAVID GERARD
6 Grant Seely
7 Darren Fox
8 Daniel Browne
Reps: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Pat Barnard, 18 Matt Lord, 19 SAM HARDING, 20 Johnny Howard, 21 DAVID QUINLAN 22 Seamus Mallon