Post by Jamie Crawford on Oct 3, 2023 10:44:39 GMT
Northampton Saints in Premiership Cup preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Premiership Cup Round 5, Sunday 9th , cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens KO 2.30pm
Our second Cup game against Premiership opposition is against Northampton Saints.
In case anyone wondered why they are called the Saints, Northampton were formed in 1880 as "Northampton St. James", which gave them the nickname Saints from the 1880s.
Bristol narrowly beat the Saints 39-38 a fortnight ago but the Saints had a single point win a week later when they beat Cup cross-over team Bath 43-42. Saint try-scorers were prop Ethan Waller, prop Trevor Davison, hooker Curtis Langdon, wing Thomas Seabrook. Full back Tommy Freeman opened and closed their try-scoring plus scored another to get his hattrick. Based on the match report, the Knights need to be wary of Tommy Freeman exploiting gaps and breaking the line plus push-over tries from driving mauls. The Saints were 35-19 down at half-time and fell 23 points behind soon after the restart as Bath recorded a fifth try. Saints Director of Rugby Phil Dowson was pleased with the Saints’ indomitable spirit after they recovered to win.
Bodes (Knights Director of Rugby Steve Boden) said in Doncaster Free Press; "I think most Premiership teams will be playing a lot of young guys until the later rounds but I would imagine Bristol and Northampton are going to go as strong as they can (against Knights) because they start the Premiership campaign a week or two later". Bodes’ prediction seems to have come true after last week the Knights ran in 6 tries against Bristol but still lost 41-57. Despite these tries Bodes was not happy with the Knights’ performance. The reason for his disappointment was the Knights’ poor defensive work, particularly in the first half when Bristol scored five tries. The 2 175 strong crowd witnessed13 14 (thanks John) tries in total and eight Premiership regulars in Bristol’s starting XV. Knight try-scorers were winger Maliq Holden, hooker Tom Doughty, prop Conor Davison, lock Ehize Ehizode. Winger/full back Harry Davey opened and closed the try-scoring with his brace of tries.
After 4 games the Pool D table:
Ealing Trailfinders 19
Doncaster Knights 13
Northampton Saints 12
Bristol Bears 10
Cambridge 0
With 1 game left in the Group stages Ealing have already qualified for the Quarter Finals.Second place qualifiers could be any of 3 teams except Cambridge. The Saints v Knights must be a draw without any bonus points scored plus Bristol must win with a bonus point (likely) for the Bears to proceed. (No second place qualifiers, thanks Martin.)
Pool D Premiership Cup games taking place this weekend:
Friday 6th October
Bristol Bears v Cambridge
Pool C/D
Jersey Reds (Pool C cross-over) v Ealing Trailfinders NOT HAPPENING
Sunday 8th October
Northampton Saints v Doncaster Knights
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Premiership Cup Round 5, Sunday 9th , cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens KO 2.30pm
Our second Cup game against Premiership opposition is against Northampton Saints.
In case anyone wondered why they are called the Saints, Northampton were formed in 1880 as "Northampton St. James", which gave them the nickname Saints from the 1880s.
Bristol narrowly beat the Saints 39-38 a fortnight ago but the Saints had a single point win a week later when they beat Cup cross-over team Bath 43-42. Saint try-scorers were prop Ethan Waller, prop Trevor Davison, hooker Curtis Langdon, wing Thomas Seabrook. Full back Tommy Freeman opened and closed their try-scoring plus scored another to get his hattrick. Based on the match report, the Knights need to be wary of Tommy Freeman exploiting gaps and breaking the line plus push-over tries from driving mauls. The Saints were 35-19 down at half-time and fell 23 points behind soon after the restart as Bath recorded a fifth try. Saints Director of Rugby Phil Dowson was pleased with the Saints’ indomitable spirit after they recovered to win.
Bodes (Knights Director of Rugby Steve Boden) said in Doncaster Free Press; "I think most Premiership teams will be playing a lot of young guys until the later rounds but I would imagine Bristol and Northampton are going to go as strong as they can (against Knights) because they start the Premiership campaign a week or two later". Bodes’ prediction seems to have come true after last week the Knights ran in 6 tries against Bristol but still lost 41-57. Despite these tries Bodes was not happy with the Knights’ performance. The reason for his disappointment was the Knights’ poor defensive work, particularly in the first half when Bristol scored five tries. The 2 175 strong crowd witnessed
After 4 games the Pool D table:
Ealing Trailfinders 19
Doncaster Knights 13
Northampton Saints 12
Bristol Bears 10
Cambridge 0
With 1 game left in the Group stages Ealing have already qualified for the Quarter Finals.
Pool D Premiership Cup games taking place this weekend:
Friday 6th October
Bristol Bears v Cambridge
Pool C/D
Sunday 8th October
Northampton Saints v Doncaster Knights
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
