News: Northampton Saints 73 Rotherham Titans 0
Stockers
By Stockers
March 2 2008
Saints continued their march towards the National League One title on Saturday with a 73 points to zip demolition of a committed but limited Rotherham Titans side. Reviewing all the action from Franklin's Gardens for ComeOnYouSaints.com is regular contributor Stockers...
Northampton Saints v Rotherham Titans.
National Division 1. Round 23, 1 March 2008
Result: Saints 73, Rotherham Titans 0
Saints Trample over Titans
By Jonathan Stockham from Franklins Gardens.
Wham!
Bam! Thank you Mam!
Saints march back to the Premiership continued in style at Franklins Gardens on a sunny Spring afternoon with this resounding victory over Rotherham, one of last years form sides but languishing in 13th place in the table before yesterday’s game. And their struggle was anything but Titanic unless sinking after bumping into an immovable object is the analogy that works for you!
With Piggy’s Patch looking perfect after a long period of inactivity due to the quirks of the fixture list and with International referee Chris White conducting proceedings, we were set fair for a mighty contest but it all ended up being rather one sided. That isn’t to say that Titans weren’t in the match. Indeed for long periods in the first half they tested but failed to breach the Saints legendary defence. They slipped behind 14-0 within 10 minutes after a Neil Starling try virtually from the kick off and Joe Ansbro, in his first start for Saints, following up 9 minutes later.
Rotherham knew they were in a game and battled with all their might, so much so that it was another 14 minutes before Saints scored again. And what a beauty it was.
Saints had won a penalty in their own 22, a quick tap was taken, Bruce hared up the right wing, passed to Starling who popped the ball up to Matt Lord in the tackle. Lordy thundered on and nearly crossed himself but made the ball available for his skipper to finish the last 5 metres of the long distance try.
Bruce scored again minutes later after more sharp handling amongst the forwards and a cross kick to the right, where a desparate grab at the ball by the Rotherham winger pushed the ball into Bruce’s hands for a try dotted down behind the posts after a neat dummy and side step in the goal area.
26-0 after 32 minutes, bonus point secured.
Saints No 6, Paul Tupai left the field just before half time after taking a knock to his calf to be replaced by Ben Lewitt. The other two members of the Back Row Gang decided to show him the way to score tries as Mark Easter charged over after great approach work by Darren Fox.
Half time, 33-0 to the home team and Saints looked dominant throughout, whether it be in attacking from long range, winning the forward contacts or maintaining the wall of defence to keep the visitors at bay.
The momentum continued into the second half with another Saints try within 5 minutes. The pack won a series of scrums to take the ball within 10 metres of the Titans line and quick hands passing to the right, presumably off the left hand !!!!, saw Bruce cruise over for his hat trick.
Jim and Nobby decided that Bruce had done enough for the day, what with another two games to come in the next week and brought Will Harries with the captaincy passing to Tom Smith.
Saints nearly scored again after a long range break by Carlos Spencer but the final pass to Paul Diggin was judged forward.
More changes came from the bench with Will Hoy replacing Alex Rae and to much cheering, Sharky Robinson replacing Johnny Howard.
The tries continued with Starling crossing for his second after Spencer had confuzzled the Titans defence and a great run from Sharky, after interpassing with Tom Smith down the left wing saw the Kiwi 9 barge through two tackles to score. Carlos was now taking the conversions in place of Bruce and seemed to slot anything with ease.
Saints were now toying with their victims, running the ball from anywhere and everywhere. They were opting for scrums from penalties rather than taking kicks and had the Rotherham front row in all sorts of trouble. Eventually, having worked the visitors left and right and left again, Harries cantered over on the half hour to bring the score to 59-0.
Play was held up for 10 minutes after Titans player Waterhouse broke a leg but Saints business was not yet finished.
Dylan Hartley had been replaced at that point by Paul Shields who galloped up field and nearly made it to the try line, much to the amusement of the Saints bench, but the scoreboard was troubled shortly after when Ansbro, impressive on his full debut, crossed for his second try.
Carlos tried to copy him with a dash upfield shortly after but was caught from behind but as is almost guaranteed from the King, the ball was kept alive, worked left and suddenly there was the legend that is Tom Smith, thundering over for a well deserved try just as a visiting supporter dressed presumably as a Titan but with a Kooga scrum cap, bellowed “We are Rotherham!” at the Church’s Stand. Indeed you are mate but we are Saints and we are on the march to the Premiership.
Carlos’s final conversion brought the score to 73-0 and Chris White decided that enough was enough.
Rotherham gave us a game for some of the 80 minutes but at other times were unable to live with the class of a side who were simply too good for them. The aggregate score over the two matches is 114-0.
Saints passed 1000 points for the season and many players stood out so much so that there were no obvious weaknesses. At the middle of it all was Carlos Spencer the hinge, flange, bracket and universal joint of the team. His full repertoire of reverse passes, kicks off the outside of the boot, 270 degree swivels mesmerised the opponents and kept Saints moving forward. The back row, Mark Easter to the fore, were always on the front foot and the rest of the pack, Lordy particularly gave no quarter.
ND1 is no “Noddy” league with some seriously good teams in there, but only the top 2 or 3 have the consistency needed to do well against Saints and make their own challenge for the top.
Only 17 points now needed from 7 games remaining to secure promotion and by this time next week, we should be very close.
"It's not the despair, Saints, I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't stand."
Made me giggle.
As for Hinge & Bracket, you old tart!
You may like to know that "flange" is now the collective name for Baboons!
was it a kick? from south stand it looked like a rather spectacular looping pass.
Ive alwys thought there was something of the cranse iron about Carlos too.
Once a scrum half .... always a scrum half
Well met, sir!
Still, a great type up, I couldn't do a match report, it just baffles me to even think how you do it, remembering details of trys etc. even with a notepad I'm sure it gets very messy at times.