Northampton Saints vs Gloucester - Franklins Gardens K.O. 19:45

Saints squad to face Gloucester at the Gardens:

15 Ben Foden
14 James Wilson
13 George Pisi
12 Harry Mallinder
11 George North
10 Stephen Myler
9 Lee Dickson
1 Alex Waller
2 Mikey Haywood
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Courtney Lawes
5 Christian Day
6 Tom Wood (capt)
7 Calum Clark
8 Louis Picamoles

16 Dylan Hartley
17 Ethan Waller
18 Paul Hill
19 Michael Paterson
20 Jamie Gibson
21 Tom Kessell
22 Rory Hutchinson
23 Ahsee Tuala

Good news is Day is back, he has been missed this season.
Hartley could have done with the game time with the AI looming, makes me think he is not 100%
Harrison, "the best performance by a Engish 7 this season" Harrison, does not even make the bench
Must be worrying for Burrell, he is still out with concussion probems
No Groom either.
Good to see Ethan Waller back on the bench, he seems to have lost his place this season, time to put in a good showing and retain it.

Could be a good game against Gloucester; Saints must still be stinging from their lack of performance against Castres. If they don't perform again tonight, JM should consider his position as there is no-one else to blame.

Interesting picking Gibson over Harrison.

Likewise Wood, I've heard a lot of morning about him but he can't be too bad if he's in the EPS again?

Saints should have the beating of Gloucester who've been way too loose this season.

I thought Clark looked the best of the Saints flankers in the two games I'veseen since coming back from injury!

BamBam wrote:I thought Clark looked the best of the Saints flankers in the two games I'veseen since coming back from injury!

I would like to see Harrison and Clark on the pitch together, it may sacrice a bit in the lineout, but would more than make up for it get up and go

Glaws are unbeaten away from home in all competitions this season... We'll still lose tonight though by conceding 10 maul tries!

Saints 13-3 up but only because Gloucester are worse than they are.

Disputable converted try by Picamoles, by far the best player on the pitch and the rest penalties.

Ref being very harsh on the breakdown, but missing the obvious sometimes.

Clark off after 20 minutes, head injury we are told, but holding his shoulder, does not look good.

Unusually P. Harry taking touch kicks, JM finally realising that he has a much longer range than Myler.

Morriaty, looking the only decent Gloucester forward, bet he is wishing he had hung out for an Englsih cap now, he is exactly what EJ is looking for to replace Haskell.

May is awesome, high work rate, making ground every time he gets the ball and just so elusive.

Dickson is such an annoying 9, just pulls a face, points the ruck and expects the ref to give him the penalty.

Glad the ball went to glos

Nathan, all 9s are annoying, it's just what 9s are.

Saints deserved the win, but only just. They just lack cohesion; if it wasn't for Picamoles they would be rivalling Bristol this year.

Hutchinson nearly cost Saints the game, he had both Picamoles and North available for run ins and went himself, just stupid.

Ratuniyarawa looks far better than Patterson, but doesn't offer anything in the line out, two back row jumpers are therefore required.

Worrying that Lawes was considered unfit to play, EJ will be getting very worried at the moment.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:Nathan, all 9s are annoying, it's just what 9s are.

Saints deserved the win, but only just. They just lack cohesion; if it wasn't for Picamoles they would be rivalling Bristol this year.

Hutchinson nearly cost Saints the game, he had both Picamoles and North available for run ins and went himself, just stupid.

Ratuniyarawa looks far better than Patterson, but doesn't offer anything in the line out, two back row jumpers are therefore required.

Worrying that Lawes was considered unfit to play, EJ will be getting very worried at the moment.

Oh I certainly agree. But he's at top of the list of annoying 9's, he seems to whinge more at the ref than actually play the game. Northampton looked far better when he went off.

A draw would have been fair with that game.

What was with the crowd? They seemed very quiet.

yappysnap wrote:A draw would have been fair with that game.

What was with the crowd? They seemed very quiet.

It's a knowledgeable crowd, they know a c*** game when they see it. It's rare that neither team deserves to win. There are problems with both these clubs that need fixing, not sure if it's the players or the culture?