Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers

I can't see a thread for this one. Scheduled for Saturday April 14th at Franklin Gardens 8am kick off (well here anyway, 3pm BST for those in the UK )

Teams
Northampton: Foden; Ashton, Pisi, Downey, Diggin; Lamb, Dickson (capt); Tonag'uiha, Long, Mujati; Manoa, Day; Craig, Dowson, Wilson.
Replacements: McMillan, Waller, Doran Jones, Sorenson, Nutley, Roberts, Myler, May.
Leicester: Murphy (capt); Agulla, M Tuilagi, Allen, A Tuilagi; Flood, B Youngs; Ayerza, Chuter, Cole; Skivington, Parling; Croft, Salvi, Waldrom.
Replacements: T Youngs, Castrogiovanni, Mulipola, Mafi, Newby, Harrison, Twelvetrees, Hamilton.

Always a testy encounter. Tigers on form, Saints seem a little flat and both teams with a couple of long term absentee's (Deacon, Crane, Hartley, Clark). Wood also missing for the Saints but good to see Manoa back after injury. Although at the Gardens I can't see past the usual Tigers win although I do live in hope.

Did wonder about doing a first yellow card poll

In my dreams, I want a close match to be won by tigers.

At least four tries each with an LBP for the Saints.

Shame that Ford didn't make it to the Tigers' bench.

Until the teams were announced, I just assumed we would lose again. We always do in recent times at Franklin Gardens.

Then I look at the saints lineup and hope starts to rise. Missing key players in the pack (Hartley, Lawes, Wood, Clark) and some out of form players in the backs. Right now the only players i would take from Saints to improve Tigers (in current form) would be Foden and Pisi ahead of Geordan and Manu. tigers bench especially looks strong.

I hate going into these fixtures with hope though, because if/when we do win it hurts even more.

Portnoy, 36 just offers a bit more able to cover centres and FH.

Portnoy wrote:Shame that Ford didn't make it to the Tigers' bench.

I guess Twelvetree's ability to cover both centers as well as 10 was the difference but from what i've seen recently then Ford is indeed very unlucky to miss out. Great prospect and I guess Flodd could have always covered 12 if he was on the bench (and Murphy 13 in an emergency with Hamilton coming on at full back). Still I can see the Cockerel's thinking. If Slater isn't injured then he is another who can count himself as unlucky.

Saints 22 more or less picks itself due to injuries and suspensions.

In chester this weekwnd so missing the game, would anyone be able to keep this thread up to date? Ta

I'll give it a crack. The wife is watching the racing so I'm relegated to the computer and Sky Go

Sadly First half is on ESPN Classic, which I do notget. Will try and see if I can help out in the 2nd half.

I'll give it a bash as well.

I hope it's as good as expected. Looking forward to Quins v Wasps later as well. Nice local derby there too.

Joe Simpson has got a really weird accent.

Kick off coming up.

Oh and Murphy pulled out due to a finger in the eye during training. Hamilton has come in to full back and M Smith onto the bench

Lamb kicks off, safely taken by Skivington (kick offs always make me nervous).

Lamb just put in a perfect kick from the dead centre of the pitch for the lineout to Leicester in their own 22.

Dave Pearson is the ref. Loose pass ended up in Saints lineout on about halfway. Saints putting on the early pressure but nothing major yet.

Downey then Pisi broke through the Leicester line but a good covering tackle by Manu stopped him. Parling offside for a Saints kick at goal. Downey is running pretty well.

Kick goes over 3-0 to Saints

NB Wayne Barnes is one of the AR

Leicester on the attack in the Saints half. Allen slipped through the Saints defence. Move ended up drive into touch. Two penalty advantages. Second on the touch line so Flood kicks for the corner

Saints defend the set maul well. Penalty to Saints for sealing off (Skivington going off his feet).

NB This is so much easier without the 3 minute rule on 606

Skivington won the ball in the maul after the lineout. Ball unplayable so the first scrum (to Tigers) around halfway

How disappointing. Early engagement free kick to Saints. They go quick and Hamilton almost got caught in his 22. Penalty to Tigers for not rolling away (one of those strict rulings we've been seeing recently).

Both sides are winning their own lineouts pretty comfortably.

Ashton takes a great highball. Work the ball wide until Foden kicks it forward. Pisi just gets a foot to it before the Tiger defender and an unlucky bounce means he can't collect it. Scrum to Saints due to accidental offside at the box kick. Saints win the penalty due to the Tigers front row standing up.

Lamb makes the kick

6-0 to Saints

Lamb charged down in his own 22 and Flood collects for the try under the sticks

[Allen charged him down]

6-7 to Tigers

Ashton could have at least made an effort to get to Flood then. It's like he doesn't care anymore.

Thanks for the updates hammer!

What a try! Great piece of skill from Agulla.

Allen makes a break up the left wing straight after the kickoff. Offloads to Croft and Saints gives away a penalty for playing the ball on the floor. Allen went in the at the side but not given

What a try! Agulla broke down the right wing. Chipped the ball forward and caught the ball, offload to A Tuilagi who goes in for the try. Flood makes the conversion.

6-14 to Tigers

Alis gets a great pas from Alluga. 14-6

HoT thanks you ever so much for your efforts.

Ashton chasing down a kick. Very close to getting the ball and then tackled by Salvi. Very close to being early but didn't see clearly. Marginal if it was. I think Ashton got one hand on the ball the tap it into his hands and then he was tackled so fair enough.

Tigers attacking just on the edge of Saints 22. But lost forward (Salvi) twice so scrum to Saints. Good scrum by Saints. Good break and offload by Ashton. Messy breakdown results in scrum to Tigers until Lamb complains to ref and gives away a penalty.

So far I'd say lineouts are equal. Breakdown is equal. Scrums slightly to Saints but not by much (mainly they have complete control over their own scrums)

The tank engine chuggs towards the Saint line but a pass behind Flood and an attempted tap on by him resulted in a knock on. Scrum to Saints in their 22

That was unlucky. Thought it was another try.

Let off for Northampton, looks a good call from the ref though.

Leicester win the scrum. Good work by Allen and Skivington score a try. Well a forward pass is given so no try. Saints scrum under the sticks

Messy scrum for Saints and the scrum is given to the Tigers (forget what I said about Saints winning the scrum )

It's a great front row battle, both sides are getting the edge on the hit at times.

Starting to feel like Saints need the next score.

Tigers batter at the line but penalty to Tigers for offside at the scrum. Flood takes the kick at goal. 6-17 to Tigers

Great break from Dickson, nice line and pass from Ashton... Diggin just didn't have the pace to finish it.

I'd say it's pretty well balanced but Tigers have taken their two chances but Saints' two chances fell away due to the bounce of the ball.

Dickson made a break, Ashton cuts inside and then throws out wide to Diggen who doesn't have the pace to get to the line.

Cumbrian...jinx

Penalty to Saints for offside. Just before Foden got back to his feet and probably should have been a penalty before that to Tigers

9-17 to Tigers

4 mins to go.

Both kickers at 100% but none have been particularly hard so far

Allen broke the line but the pop pass from Flood is deemed forward (definitely forward in my opinion but often aren't given as such, you know the ones)

No need to apologise. Portnoy said he was going to help but he's left me to it it seems

But you are doing a grand job

Half time

9-17 to tigers

LT

It's been a decent half of rugby hasn't it? Both sides have left points on the pitch with a few good breaks going unrewarded. Could see it going either way, depending upon how they come out in the second half.

HT VG game so far.

I think that the Tigers power will power this one out.

I disagree with HoT, THis game has been going only one way from twenty minutes.

Both sides are trying to keep the ball alive, with some good offloading being displayed.

Ashton has been a little Jekyll and Hyde. He didn't looked bothered for the Flood try (although I'm not convinced he could have done much about it), but he's cut some decent lines in the attack and looks hungry for the ball.

Flood has looked energised and has shown some good pace, his tactical kicking (only one kick I remember seeing) has been good and his passing has been crisp.

Youngs has been a bit meh again. He isn't doing particularly badly or well. He could get his box kicks away a bit quicker.

Dickson and Pisi and Allen have looked sharp with good breaks.

Ashton couldn't have done anything other than force Flood take the kick from a few meters to the side instead of right in front. Not a particular big deal (main thing is people can say he can't be bothered because he's going).

Portnoy, I'd say Tigers had a 'lucky' try with the change down but Saints could have had either Pisi or Ashton score with a 'lucky' bounce of the ball. I wouldn't say it's only one sided (but then I'm a neutral )

Second half about to start. No changes