Northampton Saints vs Cardiff Blues

[TRF_Olyy]

Must've been drinking lots of milk to help it heal in record time :lol:


Edit:
Never would've expected to see the NY Times doing a rugby piece!
Good article as well

 

[Dougydeluxe]

Wow, that is great for Rugby to make it into the NY Times.

 

[Bluemoon]

I think that it will be a Saints win today. They have all the form behind them at the moment, aswell as their England stars being in form. In terms of what that means for the group is getting the BP is crucial and denying the BP next week for Cardiff.

Cardiff have been out of sorts as a team for a few games now and this is a big occasion. The main weakness comes from the back three. With Halfpenny and Blair missing we are particularly weak out wide in comparison to the Northampton back three. I expect them to take full advantage of the defensive weaknesses that Czjekai and James will bring to the game, just as the Scarlets and Ulster did.

It is the HC though and Cardiff have the experience of these big occasions, not to mention a good record against English teams of late, so Ill try hold some optimism!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Saints are all over the Pinks,
Pinks giving away a penalty ever 3minutes so far, they're lucky Saints aren't going for the sticks


10 - 12 at half time, both teams a player down - Don't think the Blues card should've been. Penalty - yes, but not a card


Dan Parks is soooooo bbboooorrrriiinnnnggg, Blues will get a score divisible by 3 at the end of the day, haven't looked like scoring so far. Saints look good, but the penalties they give away are easy shots for Parks, which he rightly takes

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lawes' yellow was ever softer than Filses




Aaaah! One of the most accurate cross fields i've seen, and it slips through Ashtons hands!



Both Hookers off again!
Saints down to 13, Blues down to 14

Hartley and the Blues hooker still having words on their way off the pitch

 

[dullonien]

Poor display from the Blues. I was expecting them to have troubles in the scrum, but it was their lineout that let them down today more than anything. Without a functioning lineout they couldn't get any decent field position and couldn't really attack the line. Great defensive effort from both teams overall though.

Pitty the Blues couldn't pick up a bonus point at the end, but probably a fair result.

 

[Bluemoon]

I'll make game analysis now before I go get hammered.

The blues set piece was appalling today and Northampton rightly capitalised on that well. To many mistakes from the forwards so the backs had very limited ball and put pressure on themselves.

Northampton took their few chances well and deserve to win for that reason. I don't think they are quite as strong as people made out though, especially in the backs.

Courtney attempted tackle on Czjekai made my evening though haha. He's not world class at all, the English media have blown that one way out of proportion.

Different story next week in Cardiff I think. Castre won't be afraid of Northampton and have just as much chance as qualifying.

 

[Teh Mite]

That was a shite game, made worse by Slur.

Richie Rees needs a kick in the ******** for being a ****ly little thuggish ******. Same can be said for Bradley Davies.

Downeys binning was ridiculous. If you're going to get yourself a 10 minute rest, at least take the blokes head clean off. Don't muck around with the half arsed efforts.

Cardiff ain't qualifying now. Even with Jamie Roberts back next week it won't make any difference - For starters Parks will never let him have the ball. Their forwards looked good for 20 minutes or so but then they got tired.

Next week week will be more of the same, by the time Saints go away to Castres they should both be through anyway.

 

[dullonien]

Yeh Richie Rees is a bit of a ****ly scrum half. What was the problem with Bradley Davies though, didn't see him do anything dirty?

I agree Bullit, can see next weeks match going much the same way if the Blues can't sort out their lineout. They're certainly going to struggle scrum time, it's just innevitable against such a strong Northampton unit, but they can sort out the linout hopefully.

If Jamie Roberts is back, I think it will make a big difference, but without a forward platform the Blues are always going to be up against it.

Thought Warburton was immense after coming on again though, so he should certainly start. Williams was ok, but faded quite quickly behind a retreating pack.

Lawes had a mixed game. He was superb in most things he did, including the lineout. But he gave away three stupid penalties and a yellow card. Great player still, and really is only going to get better. His yellow was a bit unfair, but so was Felise's. However the Blues were lucky not to get a prop sin binned at scrum time. As for the final two yellow cards, don't think Gareth Williams deserved it atall. That drive in the scrum after the whistle had gone was exceptionally dangerous, and Williams was right to be angry. He did bugger all to see yellow, whilst Hartely deserved it. Oh well, Northampton deserved to win, and probably by another 7+ points.

 

[Teh Mite]

What was the problem with Bradley Davies though, didn't see him do anything dirty?

Stamping in the first half.

 

[dullonien]

Must'v missed that, was watching through a dodgy internet stream though.

 

[MunsterMan]

Myler was very impressive, kept his team going forward all the time with some impressive tactical kicking. Even got Man Of the Match for it. Like a young Ronan O'Gara!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Seen most of the highlights and got to say Blues outplayed and most definitely the best team won. Saints were class. Yet the ref made a real hash of the scrum ... love the boaring in.

 

[veux]

Dia was definitely right about them boring in, how else did the Saints No 1 end up with his outside shoulder under the Blues tighthead's outside armpit

 

[Teh Mite]

How could Mujati end up under the Pinks (They weren't Blue) tighthead?

 

[munstermuffin]

Lads, Courtney Lawes is going to be a serious weapon at lineout team - attacking and defending. Credit must go to the Saints coaching staff in way they use him (alot of him jumping at 2 or 4). It is simply you know it's going there but you can't stop him.

Bullitt is Lawes going to be used solely at lock from now on or will the Saints ever use him at 6 anymore.

 

[Teh Mite]

You tell me. I can't see the point of playing him as a flanker when Dowson and Callum Clarke are in the squad though.

 

[munstermuffin]

Well he is a mediocre 6 I think but can be a World Class lock and hope they keep him as a lock and no-more

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Can't imagine him being used at flank unless there are string of injuries

He impressed me alot with his lineout, which for some reason, in my head, I classed as a weak point in his game