News: GP: Bristol vs Northampton Saints - Preview
By Robby Richmond
November 13 2008
Here we go again, yet another thrilling installment of the seemingly endless saga of Bristol and Northampton. As the gods above demand the titans of the game come together once more to battle for the hearts and minds of their townsfolk, fight the evil that stands before their door, embrace the battle and summon the mighty warrior spirit within...
Bristol Rugby Vs Northampton Saints
Sunday, 16th November 2008
Match Preview
By Robby Richmond
Here we go again, yet another thrilling installment of the seemingly endless saga of Bristol and Northampton. As the gods above demand the titans of the game come together once more to battle for the hearts and minds of their townsfolk, fight the evil that stands before their door, embrace the battle and summon the mighty warrior spirit within. The epic battle re-ignites with two of the greatest and world-renowned purveyors of only the very finest Ru…. Ru… erm…
Sorry that’s not right at all is it?
Yeah, it’s them again, the Brizzlers, the beloved boot-boys of the ball-bags from Bath. Bristol, poor old souls at the tail of the table. No money, no players, no chance. Don’t you dare believe it! While the table tells us one tale only a fool would call this a ‘gimme’. Far from it, in a two horse race such as this even I get a vibe that this one is far from said and done.
Bristol still calls on the core of men who ooze strength of character, faithfulness, self-belief passion and desire. We know them well fore they have frequently handed us our own rectums in the past years since they returned to the premiership. Yet now as the old dogs seem to be tiring, the shoe may well be on the other foot.
Much like Sarries and Irish, if you can come away from Bristol with a win, you know that you’re a side who not only stand up to bullies but also have met them and matched them in the character stakes. Salter, master of the covert ball slowing still tackles himself to a stand still and looks to carry and carry and carry. While Skipper Joe El Abd must be commended for his loyalty to Bristol and looks to lead by example week in and week out. Like many open sides playing in the premiership he is big, powerful and crazy-brave.
With Shaun Perry still recovering from injury Graham Beverage is offering able stewardship at scrumhalf. David Lemi still shines as a mercurial capable of the most breath taking runs in open play. The ever-reliable Ronnie Regan is still the most consistent scrummager and lineout thrower available to the club as is still the most likely source of some dubious penalty awards thanks as ever to his rather verbose nature.While old grudges die hard with the elder statesmen of the Bristol front row yet this would not be a COYS match preview or report with taking time to gush like a little schoolgirl with a crush about Andrew Blowers…
Ok lets do this together, take a moment to recall your own favourite moment of AB in a Saints shirt. Got it?
Ready? And…Gush…
Right that’s over with shall we talk about the Saints for a bit eh?
The rise and rise of Stephen Myler’s metronomic boot has meant for once the Green Black and Gold aren’t having any trouble in keeping the scoreboard ticking over. This has meant fewer tight scrapes for the Saints and given Jim and Nobby the opportunity to blood some of the youngsters from the bench thanks to being relatively out of reach.
Yet the ideas of playing Los and Myler together have fallen on deaf ears as James Downey frequently shows he is ‘Peter’ to their ‘Jesus’. He’s the rock, the hard place. Mr. Consistent who works hard and hits even harder. Like Big Q and Big John Leslie before him he is metaphorically the Saints back line’s security blanket. He is solid and reliable, like a big brother’s love. If people wonder who is the first name on the team sheet, rest assured as far as this writer is concerned no one even comes close to JD.
Yet we need him now more than ever, as we aren’t blessed with a great deal of fit centers or outside backs. Once more it appears that we may find Bruce or Los played out of their preferred positions or we may find Mayor or Starling given the somewhat cursed number 13 jersey. Unlucky for some? Darn tootin!!!
Whoever does fill the shirt over the next few weeks, it will take time for them to bond and form a defensive partnership with JD. The partnership of Downey alongside the now crocked Joey Ansbro had genuinely started to bear fruit, yet still these things do not and did not happen overnight.
Joining the Jimmies over the last fortnight have been two formidably big hosses from the Republic of South Africa. Yes after a recent heavy bout of homegrown recruitment the powers that be have seen fit to bless us with two new sons of Franklins Gardens. Regardt “Reggie” Dryer and Juandre “Freddy” Kruger do not match the cynical stereotypes of South African sportsmen coming to the UK to ply their trade.
Reggie seems a typically brutish prop forward. Standing 6ft 3 and possessing a huge chest and set of tree trunk arms he hails from a strong rugby pedigree with the Wildeklawer Griquas who are synonymous in South Africa for a side full of pride ability and ambition. While Freddy it would appear is quite a fine bit of poaching. Recognized as one of the young players marked for future international recognition it seems, if my Afrikaans is correct, which it very probably isn’t, that the Saints have something a little special on their hands. Able to play at blindside and at lock forward this would imply that 6ft 6 frame means he will be a very tidy operator at lineout time and tall and strong enough to offer the option of the offload out of the tackle to oncoming support runners.
So will they both go straight into the starting line up this weekend?
Well to be honest I would be surprised. Mark Hopley has done very little wrong to justify him losing his shirt. Indeed it’s his to lose as he has contributed wonderfully to the balance of the back row and in conjunction with the aforementioned Downey. As well as this Barry ‘the Bear’ Stewart still has a lot to offer and deserves one more pop at Regan.
Another interesting area is the battle for the number 9 shirt. Not for years have we seen such a genuine toss up over a position with two candidates playing tremendously well. While Foden offers the chance to break against the elder statesmen of the Bristol pack, Dickson is capable of some truly fizzing passes and is consistent with his precision and box kicking for position. Dickson is quicker of mind currently and more assured of his decisions, but Foden offers the unique X factor which quite frankly petrifies tired forwards gasping for air as they mark the side of a breakdown.
Honestly, flip a coin in the air. I can’t split them
My projected teams for the weekend…
SAINTS
1) Wee Tam
2) Sheildsy
3) The Bear
4) Nacho
5) Lawesy
6) Hoppers
7) Bluey
8) Big Bad Rog
9) Fodes / Dicko
10) Boom-Boom
11) Digger
12) J.D.
13) Mayor
14) Ash
15) Bruce
16) Joey Grey 17) Tiny 18) Reggie 19) Freddy 20) Eastey 21) Fodes / Dicko 22 Los
Bristol
1) Alex Clarke
2) Mark Regan
3) Jason Hobson
4) Roy Winters
5) Robert Sidoli
6) Matt Salter
7) Joe El Abd
8) Dan Ward-Smith
9) Graeme Beveridge
10) Adrian Jarvis
11) David Lemi
12) Luke Eves
13) Junior Fatialofa
14) Tom Arscott
15) Vunga Lilo
16) Scott Linklater 17) Darren Crompton 18) Andrew Blowers 19) Redford Pennycook 20) Haydn Thomas 21) Chris Ashwin 22) Mathew Turner
As for the result?Don’t be surprised if the match is still in doubt with 20 minutes to go. As I said previously this game will go a long way in showing us just how we have come on the journey to becoming a consistent Heineken cup qualifier and potential premiership challengers over the next 3 or 4 years time. The memorial ground is and always will be a tough place to win.
Saints by 9 but leaving it late….
Quote:He is solid and reliable, like a big brother’s love.
Obviously you've never met my brother then Rob!
Great preview, can't wait for round two of five against the Brizzlers.
Photo Gallery
dej
“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
Benjamin Franklin
Tetleys Block F E143
Saint til I die
Did the new SA guys really shine enough to oust people like Alex Rae, Chris Day, Ben Broster from even the bench who are all capped 21 internationals and more ?
Re Courtney - he's not played a premiership game yet - they are a big step up from EDF or the ECC games to which the French hardly turn up..
I was hoping to see more against the welsh (who do take the EDF seriously) but his unfortunate knock and the comments re him being ill pre game humbugged that
Christian Day started all 5 Premiership games and played consistently well throughout.
As Tub says the Prem is quite a step up from the early stages of the cup competitions, to drop Day completely would be a little odd IMO.
Mind you I'm not going to tear into like you, yourself and only you because it is your responsibility, yours alone and nobody else's, because you have picked Courtney.
I think he has had his run for the time being and with Juandre K around, Christian Day and Hoppers have real, high class competition for a black, gold and green shirt. You never know, even Nacho may get the odd rest.
There will be a formidable hunger in the side that takes on Bristol in the ERC double-header.
This week, I expect a spheroids of steel approach. Beat them in every phase, everywhere. No heads to drop as they did when they pinched the New Year's match from us two seasons ago. Let's go out and do it - do them!
[lowrence.com]
Having studied and worked in Bristle they are a club I have a lot of time for. One player excepted. As we saw in the EDF they will not be a push-over but the opportunity must be there for our first away win in the GP. As always it will be how we prepare and how switched on we are. Over to Jim and Doreen.
The reason ive selected Lawsey is because of his fearlessness and excessively combative nature. He will be facing roy winters, a man who elbows people in the mush then asks questions later.
I belive that Lawesy will stand up to him and is more than capable of showing winters up too.
Quote:The reason ive selected Lawsey is because of his fearlessness and excessively combative nature. He will be facing roy winters, a man who elbows people in the mush then asks questions later.
Actually Sambucetti has been getting a fair bit of game time. And regardless, Winters jumps two (against Lobbe) whereas Courtney jumps 4 (where Sidoli will be). Also Courtney does not call the lineout whether playing for the Academy or 2's so I doubt he'd be entrusted with calling it against Brizz.
I wager precisely 1 pie that Day will start (no more no less)
Courtney is more than capable of moving up and down the lineout, and whilst I agree Day is a stronger lineout technican I can not it good concsience believe they might drop him without due cause.
You may be right mr lump, i imagaine you are, yet still to drop a player, regardless of age, talent or abilty when he is obviously playing well smacks of the days of old. I cant personally bring myself to belive thats the case.
so allow this cynic the faint hope that he might be seeing another wind of change.
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
'Glad, too, that you mentioned Mr Winters for what he is - one of the truely great lineout offenders in the past 10 years, first at Quins, and latterly at The Mem, he's well overdue for a Saintly response in my (always open) book.
For lots of reasons, we still owe Bristol lots - Sharkey has moved on, but there is still a debt of honour outstanding. I'd like to see a big chunk of that debt repaid this weekend.
"Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it."
-- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161-180 A.D.
What exactly do you owe Bristol? Other than some respect, which has been sorely lacking towards the great West Country club from some denizens of this site for a couple of seasons.
Quote:"What exactly do you owe Bristol? Other than some respect, which has been sorely lacking towards the great West Country club from some denizens of this site for a couple of seasons."
Examples please, oh great omnipotent unlogged-in one...
No alcohol for January. I'm a dryathlete in aid of cancer research.
Dryathlon
Is Courtney fit to play ? He seemed to mouth on telly that whatever injury he got last week, stung a bit... Very much a case of the commentators curse after Brian Moore said he was looking forward to seeing him play (I paraphrase).
Shame I can't be there this weekend but may I be allowed to say......
COME ON YOU SAINTS
I thenk yaw!
Whilst previous encumbents can be accused of favouritism and the untouchables I think we supporters can be just as bad at times.
Quote:Chris G
I think we supporters can be just as bad at times
Very mild, Chris, very mild.
[lowrence.com]
(Which is a new word I just invented.)
I'd have Carlos in the team with a broken leg in the second row to give him a game.
With journalism of such calibre, the team only have to turn up to win... if only!
If only games were played on websites and message boards... but this will be a tough one. Whoever loses will be cannon fodder for the rest of the season: bottom of table, relegation candidates!
Rugby is becoming seriously unpredictable again, and all the more enjoyable for that.