Thoughts from the Chron 22nd October

By Chris Gleadell
October 23 2009

Yet again another cracking weekend away in Europe following the Saints. I can remember in times past before we started picking up wins on French soil that that saying used to be tempered with "only spoilt by 80 minutes of rugby" but on this occasion that would be a bit harsh on the efforts the lads put in.

When I finally dragged what was left of mind and body back to blighty on Monday night and gathered my thoughts I rewatched the game against Perpignan on Sky+. Whilst all talk was of referee Nigel Owens control, and I use that word very loosely, of the game it was clear we were beaten by the better side on the night. They had our pack in retreat in the early stages and by the time penalty try had been given the die had been cast both in the result and in Mr Owens handling of the game.

The big question mark over the officiating is whether we were ‘robbed' of a possible bonus point, something that can prove crucial as the competition progresses. In that respect I would say Mr Owens has a very big case to answer. Clearly swayed by the crowd early in proceedings, before it dawned on him that the USAP supporters generally appeal for something at every point of contact, Owens then looked affronted when Dylan Hartley legitimately asked him to clarify his whistle blowing. By the half hour mark, just when Saints looked like they were regrouping and coming back into the game, in my mind he had lost any semblance of refereeing the game fairly.

Someone mentioned afterwards that things were said by Saints players that caused Owens to side with Perpignan in the marginal decisions. If true then not only do some of our players have to watch the backchat in future, whatever the provocation, but also there has to be a very big question mark over the referee's ability to officiated at this level. Any referee worth his salt would rise above it, deal with the outspoken offenders as per the laws then get on with the game in an even manner. As much as I have tried to watch the game objectively, i.e. opening more than my Saints one eye, it looked like all the world that as the game progressed Mr Owens was not only giving Perpignan the marginal decisions but some of the Saints penalties too.

The talk in the local papers on Saturday morning was of citings, mostly imagined, for several Saints players, what a pity we do not have a system when the 31st man on the field can be cited for ineptitude too. Now I am not usually one for slating referees and I know a few of their defenders will be up in arms saying how dare Gleadell say that, it's a thankless job etc etc. Yes that's true but there are standards, standards of which Mr Owens fell a long, long way short of on Friday night and a display the controlling body and Owens himself should take a long hard look at.

The shame was that the officiating dented what could have been a very good game of rugby. There were good passages of play from both sides and Saints were far from disgraced at the home of the current French champions. Chris Ashton's try was top drawer and Brian Mujati's score well crafted by his fellow front rowers out wide. In the end though not enough to secure that valued bonus point. Correct result, arguably the wrong margin of victory.

Although well split up in the ground I would guess around 1200 Saints supporters at the Stade Aime Giral. Having seen Perpignan a few times before I have to say the USAP supporters were a bit more subdued than usual. Whether this was a hangover from their defeat in Treviso I do not know but there seemed little enthusiasm in the town pre-match too. So perhaps not the bearpit I was expecting but we still had to try hard to make ourselves heard above the din. Whilst I was all in praise of the Saints support last week against Munster I do wish that some people on these trips would play their part and get behind the team too or at the very least appreciate that that is what others are there to do. Fair enough you pay your money and you make your choice but we sat behind a group of Saints travellers who not only sat through the game in 80 minutes of almost total silence but who also turned their nose up at those trying to raise the team in their vicinity.

Indeed one couple looked totally insulted because someone tried quite loudly to start an ‘Oh Wendy' near them. I am not sure if these people think it is not the done thing or if they are more worried their neighbours might see them letting their hair down on the telly. Perhaps even there is a danger they might catch something from the great unwashed but they might as well have been at home than at the ground if people genuinely trying to get behind their team offended them so much.

The laughable thing is you just know these people go home and talk of the great atmosphere they encountered. I do not know if they noticed but towards the end of the game the Perpignan drummers included by then one Saint supporter were not only timing ‘When the Saints go marching in' but a fair smattering of USAP supporters were attempting to join in the song too, not their version, the English one. Now if the opposition can do it for your team then surely in some small way you can too, or at the very least put up and shut up and accept that for the vast majority that is what they are there to do. Rant over.

Away from the rugby itself all was sweetness and light for the weekend. Alas the recommended bar Chez Imbernon had changed hands a few weeks before our arrival but there was still a steady stream of Saints along the Quai Vauban all weekend enjoying the sun watching the world go by. Once the sun was down you could not walk past an eaterie, cafe or bar without seeing a Saints shirt within. Late into the night places like the Guinness bar did a roaring trade, when in Rome eh? The townsfolk were warm and welcoming, from the massed pensioners protesting outside the Castillet on Friday morning to the police who turned up to close bars almost 24 hours later. There can be an edge to Perpignan at times but certainly I never encountered anything but friendship all weekend. By luck it was the local wine festival too and many spent three Euro's on the ‘magic' glass that allowed you to sample all on offer in the region in a real carnival atmosphere with local music and dancers.

And it was not just Perpignan itself. At nearby picturesque Collioure you apparently could not move for Saints shirts all weekend. Our group opted for the beach at Argeles on Sunday and a long, long lunch at the harbour side in the autumn sun. I commented at the time that there must be worse places to be and whilst rugby may be central to these weekends away it is good to take in everything else that the areas we visit have to offer. Long may Saints trips abroad continue. Here's to the next one!

Thoughts from the Chron 22nd October

Posted by: ComeOnYouSaints.com (IP Logged)

Date: 23/10/2009 00:27

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