EDF NATIONAL TROPHY FINAL

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs. EXETER CHIEFS

Saturday, 12^th April, 2008 – KO 12 noon

TWICKENHAM

MATCH PREVIEW

At the start of this season, Saints Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder stated that there was only one objective for his side this term – Promotion! This was achieved with four league games to spare and Saints can look forward to Guinness Premiership rugby once again in 2008/9. This season, Northampton have won 32 games on the bounce in all competitions. Four of those victories have come in the EDF National Trophy and these wins have taken the team to a day out at Twickenham this coming Saturday, in a lunchtime match against Exeter Chiefs.

So, what to expect on Saturday lunchtime? Well, to kick-off this comprehensive match-day preview, let’s have a look at how Saints and Chiefs got to Twickenham in the first place…

HOW SAINTS GOT TO HQ…
4^th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Cornish Pirates (3) 3, Northampton Saints (15) 15

Team: Stephen Myler(1C, 1PG); Chris Ashton, Jon Clarke, James Downey(1T), Bruce Reihana (capt); Carlos Spencer, Johnny Howard; Tom Smith, Dylan Hartley, Euan Murray; Matt Lord, Alex Rae; Paul Tupai, Ben Lewitt, Mark Hopley(1T).

Bench: Joe Gray, Soane Tonga'uiha, Barry Stewart (sin bin 80), Phil Hoy, Mark Easter, Mark Robinson, Paul Diggin.

Replacements used: Stewart for Murray 32, Tonga'uiha for Smith 59, Easter for Hopley 67, Robinson for Howard 67, Gray for Hartley 79, Hoy for Rae 79, Diggin for Ashton 79.

5^th Rd: 2/2/2008 - Doncaster Knights (3) 3, Northampton Saints (12) 17

Team: Bruce Reihana (capt)(4PG); Neil Starling, Jon Clarke(1T), James Downey, Paul Diggin; Carlos Spencer, Mark Robinson; Tom Smith, Paul Shields, Barry Stewart; Matt Lord, Alex Rae; Mark Easter, Darren Fox, Mark Hopley.

Bench: Dylan Hartley, Soane Tonga'uiha, Phil Hoy, Paul Tupai, Johnny Howard, Stephen Myler, Joe Ansbro.

Replacements used: Hartley for Shields 51, Tonga'uiha for Smith 64, Howard for Robinson 64, Tupai for Hopley 73, Myler for Spencer 78, Hoy for Lord 78, Ansbro for Clarke 80.

QF: 23/2/2008 - Bedford Blues (5) 8, Northampton Saints (12) 32

Team: Bruce Reihana (capt)(1T, 2C, 1PG); Chris Ashton(2T), Jon Clarke, James Downey, Neil Starling; Carlos Spencer, Johnny Howard; Tom Smith, Dylan Hartley (sin bin 45-56), Barry Stewart; Matt Lord, Alex Rae; Mark Easter(1T), Darren Fox(1T), Mark Hopley.

Bench: Paul Shields, Soane Tonga'uiha, Damien Browne, Paul Tupai, Mark Robinson, Stephen Myler, Joe Ansbro.

Replacements used: Tupai for Hopley 40, Shields for Tupai 48, Tupai for Shields 56, Ansbro for Clarke 60, Tonga'uiha for Smith 63, Robinson for Howard 63, Myler for Ashton 76, Shields for Stewart 76.

SF: 15/3/2008 - Plymouth Albion (5) 8, Northampton Saints (8) 22

Team: Bruce Reihana (capt)(4PG); Joe Ansbro, Jon Clarke, James Downey, Neil Starling(2T); Carlos Spencer, Johnny Howard (sin bin 39-44); Tom Smith, Dylan Hartley, Barry Stewart; Matt Lord, Alex Rae; Darren Fox, Ben Lewitt, Mark Easter.

Bench: Paul Shields, Soane Tonga'uiha, Phil Hoy, Paul Tupai, Mark Robinson, Stephen Myler, Paul Diggin.

Replacements used: Shields for Hartley 40, Tonga'uiha for Smith 57, Tupai for Fox 57, Robinson for Howard 57, Hoy for Lord 64, Myler for Spencer 70, Diggin for Reihana 77.

MATCH REPORTS FOR ALL THESE MATCHES CAN BE FOUND AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE

HOW EXETER GOT TO HQ…

4^th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Wharfedale (5) 24, Exeter Chiefs (29) 39

5^th Rd: 2/2/2008 - Exeter Chiefs (24) 24, Coventry (0) 0

QF: 23/2/2008 - Exeter Chiefs (18) 42, Esher (0) 7

SF: 15/3/2008 - Exeter Chiefs (6) 16, Nottingham Rugby (8) 8

It’s been a tale of “aways” and “homes” for the two sides. All of Northampton’s successes have come away from home whilst the Chiefs have enjoyed the facilities of Sandy Park since the fifth round (one wonders if the likes of Pirates, Doncaster et al would have preferred to play at FG given the 60/40 split in gate monies that the Cup rules stipulate). In truth, both teams have progressed to the final quite comfortably and the old adage, “the cream rises to the top” is quite apt. Put simply, the two teams with the best record in National League One now get a shot at the domestic trophy in the cup competition for this level of rugby.

LEAGUE MATCHES

Two matches, two wins for Saints. Back in November, Mallinder’s men travelled south in what was perceived to be their first true League One test – the result – Chiefs 11 Northampton 25. In his match report for ComeOnYouSaints.com, Simon Hendy remarked, “The Chiefs seem to have a fairly limited game plan, but they do have backs that can move the ball, and they made yardage when they remembered to use them. They should have the confidence to do so more often”. Back at Franklin’s Gardens last month Saints secured the League One title with a hard-fought 18-8 win. Reporting for this web-site, Casual Saint noted, “Exeter… showed the tenacity and determination that had kept them in the promotion race for so long”.

The scorelines tend to indicate two close games but the try count shows a different story – 6 to 2 in Saints favour. So, whilst both encounters were low scoring, the results were never really in doubt.

THE TEAMS AT TWICKENHAM

One team’s losing run in domestic cup competition finals will be expunged from the record books on Saturday. Both Saints and Chiefs are yet to win in a domestic final in seven attempts between them. Details of when, where and how they failed follow…

1991 PnC Harlequins 25 Saints 13

2000 TBC Wasps 31 Saints 23

2002 PS Rotherham 35 Exeter 26

2002 PC London Irish 38 Saints 7

2003 PS Orrell 26 Exeter 20

2003 PC Gloucester 40 Saints 22

2007 EDF Cornish Pirates 19 Exeter 16

PnC: Pilkington Cup; TBC: Tetley Bitter Cup; PS: Powergen Shield; PC: Powergen Cup; EDF: EDF National Trophy

Of course, Saints are able to boast of victory at HQ. In 2000 they travelled to Twickenham very much the underdogs to face Munster in the Heineken Cup final. The result – Saints European Champions! In a neat parallel, Chiefs will be hoping to overturn the same long odds this weekend.

SO, WHO’S GOING?

As of Monday, the Northampton Saints ticket office had sold and dispatched in excess of 10,000 tickets for the final. Currently, there will be 46 coaches at FG to ferry supporters to London. Of course, this figure may rise as tickets are still selling well. Then there are the Saints’ Supporters club coaches, a myriad of privately-hired mini-buses and people travelling by car. For many the train will take the strain. With tickets also having been sold by Ticketmaster, I would think that somewhere in the region of 15,000 disciples clad in Black, Gold and Green will be arriving in the capital Saturday morning.

For Exeter, 1,900 tickets for the final were sold in the first three days of sale and the club are confident that the Devon contingent will top the 2,864 sold for last year’s match against Pirates.

HOW TO GET THERE

● The Club coaches will be leaving FG from 7am onwards. If you want to see the aperitif of Chester vs. Birkenhead Park then be at The Gardens early. As the coaches fill, they will leave. If you want a (small) lie-in then the last coach should be orft to the M1 about 9.

● The SSC coaches will be leaving from the Beacon Bingo car-park at 8am. Please be there to leave promptly!

● For those driving down under their own steam, please be aware that the roadworks around Luton can be a pain in the ‘arris if some numpty is not paying attention to the traffic in front and rolls into the back of a Honda Civic doing 35mph in the middle lane

 ● For details of trains from Northampton Castle Station, please see Marc C’s post at the top of the message board for full details of the times to travel.

● Club coaches are leaving Twickenham at 5.30pm. The Supporters Club coaches are leaving HQ at 5pm. Please give yourself plenty of time to get back to your charabanc if you want a swift(ish) return to Franklin’s Gardens.

THE WEATHER

Early reports on both the BBC and weather.com websites indicate that we are in for a warm day (13c) but with the occasional shower. Depending on where you are in the stadium, make sure you pack sunglasses, beanie hat, gloves, factor 30 sun block, an umbrella, snow shoes, sandals, a high tog sleeping-bag and possibly a hip-flask. Actually, the hip-flask is standard wear for a day like this – consider yourself told.

THE TEAMS

Long term injuries withstanding, Saints should be pretty much at full strength for this game. The only worry remains the fitness of record-breaking winger Chris Ashton who is continuing to have treatment on an ankle injury. Indeed, Ashton was rested by the coaching team for last weekend’s League One match against Coventry in a bid to make sure of his availability for the final. Speaking to the Chronicle & Echo this week, Jim Mallinder said, “His [Ashton’s]ankle has not been 100 per cent right, so we are going to have to wait and see this week and see how it goes”.

For Exeter, flanker Tony Walker called time on an 11-year career in the game last week following a second serious knee injury in nine months. Apart from this news it appears that the Chiefs first XV came through unscathed in last weekend’s defeat to Nottingham. Therefore, I would expect the two teams to line up something like this…

PIP’S PREDICTION…

Everything points to a Saints win.

If the boys in the BG&G can get off to a “Hats on Wheels” start then it could be a long afternoon at the office for Chiefs. Exeter have had two attempts to show their Premiership credentials in the league encounters but have failed to convince this writer that they have what is necessary for a full-on GP assault. Yet. However, this is a one off. Drauniniu and Luff, the Chiefs wingers, have scored 40 tries between them this term in the league and will pose a potent threat. That is, of course, assuming they get the ball. In the league matches between the two sides it seems to me that the Chiefs have had a reluctance to pass the ball out wide. The Fatialofa brothers (both centres) would appear to be intent on “taking it up the middle”, blind to possible opportunities out to the glory boys. CHIEFS! If you want to win on Saturday, give the pill to the men that can! Saints defence will be too good if you just huff and puff!

For Saints, I believe there is just too much class in the side for Exeter to pose too much of a threat. It may a tight game up to the hour but I am firmly of the opinion that class will out. Coaches Mallinder and West will demand of their players a full on performance. The last time last Northampton Saints lost in a competitive match was twelve months ago when Wasps emerged victorious in the 2007 Heineken Cup semi-final. So much water has passed under the bridge since that day that only four players who started that game against Pests (Reihana, Spencer, Smith and Lewitt) are likely to start on Saturday. Saints are a team in transition from Premiership also-rans to a team that can hold their own in the top-flight. They may not yet be world-beaters but they will be too good for Exeter this weekend.

 
Enjoy the day and, Saints by 15.

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