GP: Worcester vs Northampton Saints - Preview
By Chris Wearmouth
January 6 2006
In the past few weeks there seems to have been nothing but discouraging news to report in these previews, as one-by-one the squad has fallen foul of the injury demon to see us down to the bare bones. This week, however, I am pleased to be the bearer of rather gladder tidings…
For as the injury god taketh away the crowd-pleasing mightily dedicated nugget that is Paul Diggin for a spell in plaster on the sidelines with one hand, he giveth with the other. And boy, does he giveth this weekend! Sean Lamont could be seen as a reasonable replacement for Digger, but the big news this week comes courtesy of the centre.
Latest to don what has become the jinxed 12 shirt is Robbie Kydd. Yes, the same Robbie Kydd that in April suffered a potentially career threatening knee injury. As predicted by some of the COYSDC faithful, Kydd has signed on the dotted line with the club that rehabilitated him and has been put straight into the starting fifteen that will run out at Sixways. It’s a touch harsh on Andy Vilk, who did nothing devastating – either good or bad – against Bristol, but with Kydd more of a 12, and having trained fully for the last six weeks or so, he has an opportunity to strut his stuff.
Whether this decision has been made with one eye on the following two weeks’ worth of European competition, for which Kydd isn’t registered, I don’t know (contrary to popular opinion I don’t have a red phone directly linked to Budge’s office) but that two-week break will give him a chance to recover. The same reason could also be given for the only change in the pack – Paul Tupai’s inclusion in the back-row. The Samoan international, who impressed when he came on last Sunday, comes in for Grant Seely. The only other change is at half-back, where Sharky Robinson also replaces the player who started in his position on New Year’s Day – Johnny Howard.
Here is that starting fifteen:
15 BRUCE REIHANA (co-capt)
14 SEAN LAMONT
13 Jon Clarke
12 Robbie Kydd
11 John Rudd
10 CARLOS SPENCER
9 MARK ROBINSON
1 TOM SMITH
2 STEVE THOMPSON (co-capt)
3 Chris Budgen
4 Damien Browne
5 Matt Lord
6 PAUL TUPAI
7 Ben Lewitt
8 Daniel Browne
By Friday lunchtime the bench hadn’t been confirmed, which was a pity. Because a little elf has told me that Santa’s rounds are far from over, and Uncle Cliff’s physio fingers have worked their magic on a couple of rather good players. Suffice to say that there could be a couple of surprises…
While the Saints will go into the game in good spirits, Worcester will be looking for some post-festive cheer. Their 15-21 loss at Newcastle on New Year’s Day made it three losses in a row in all competitions, with their only victory since the end of November being at home to Connacht in the European Challenge Cup on 10 December. Additionally, Saints have also won at Sixways this term, in the Powergen Cup.
Nevertheless, Worcester will be a tough prospect on Saturday, not least because the Warriors have had the Saints’ number in their three Premiership meetings to date. They did the double over us last season, and who can forget the one-point defeat at Franklin’s Gardens at the end of November. It should not be forgotten either that the GB&G has only been victorious once on its 05/06 Premiership travels, at the Recreation Ground way back in early September.
There is all to play for (I had to put a Morris-esque cliché in here somewhere) and Worcester will be looking to take advantage of our problem front-five (look, there’s another one). Mark Tucker, Tevita Taumoepeau and Ed O’Donoghue will in no doubt be looking to put one over their old club once more (and another one – I’ll snap out of it in a minute, I promise) but rugby is a 22-man game (but in a minute more). Pat Sanderson misses out with injury, Thomas Lombard moves to inside centre and scourge of our defence Dale Rasmussen comes in at outside centre. Here, therefore, is the Warriors’ squad that John Brain and his cohorts will look to light up the Sky (Sports).
15. Thinus Delport
14. Aisea Havili
13. Dale Rasmussen
12. Thomas Lombard
11. Mark Tucker
10. James Brown
9. Matt Powell
1. Tony Windo (capt)
2. Chris Fortey
3. Tevita Taumoepeau
4. Phil Murphy
5. Craig Gillies
6. Kai Horstmann
7. Johnny Tuamoheloa
8. Drew Hickey
Replacements:
16. Gavin Hickie
17. Le Fortey
18. Ed O'Donoghue
19. Tom Harding
20. Andy Gomarsall
21. Shane Drahm
22. Simon Whatling
This is a big game for both clubs. Although Worcester are five places up on us in the Premiership table, they’re only 10 league points ahead: a mere couple of wins. And with the returning Saintly spirit having been demonstrated in full over the past six weeks, and with three wins from the last four games, and with the injury returnees, Budge’n’Grase and the boys will have certainly targeted this Saturday as one to be put in the ‘W’, not the ‘MHB’ column. (There’s a stick of chewing gum for the first person to tell me what that stands for. Answers on a postcard…)
But Worcester will be equally motivated. And no one’s ever quite sure which Northampton will turn up, even within games. For 40 minutes of the Bristol game we were there for the taking. But in the last 10 minutes we looked unstoppable, and had the game carried on for another 10, we might very well have scored another couple of tries.
“Go on,” I hear you cry. “What does your crystal ball tell you about how it’s going to go?” Well, aside from first stating my preference for swilling tea leaves over rubbing balls, I foresee yet another tight game, my friends, but one my calming jasmine and camomile combination hint will just go our way.
But only just.