The Local Derby v Saints!

[Saintberni]

I thank the few fans who realise what the issues are here, the real problems though start at the top and irresponsible comments being made by the hierarchy and jumped upon by morons.

This is not just a issue at Welford Road unfortunately we have similar issues at the gardens!! where it may be said they are obviously trying to stamp out anyone drinking too much by having such extortionate pricing at the bars, something they could learn a good lesson from yourselves on that.

I will be returning next season when I'm sure we will put the 11 year problem to bed.

[richardssalex]

I don't know if anyone has noted previously but Manu looks like he's lost a shed load of weight. Much needed.

[Iain]

I don't know if anyone has noted previously but Manu looks like he's lost a shed load of weight. Much needed.

Yes it's really noticeable. Never seen him looking so lean. I understand that last summer a trip home to Samoa saw him put on three stone and hit 20 stone. He's certainly nowhere near that now.

[sapajo]

I don't know if anyone has noted previously but Manu looks like he's lost a shed load of weight. Much needed.

Indeed and credit to him for achieving it especially in the absence of so much game time over such an extended period.

[TomWeston]

drc.007 described our scrum as a penalty machine with Thacker there he ignores the success against the head, the ground made in open play and the ball winning by Harry to concentrate on the one scrum penalty against us while Thacker was on. The change of Hooker on 50 minutes was obviously a planned change. The second scrum penalty against us was after the change, in neither case is it possible to judge from the stands or TV where the blame lies, credit was given to Saints prop Waller.
Initially I thought their try was a double movement, I still think that could have been given but having watched it now on tv I think Mr Doyle got it right. He was however wrong about the high tackle on Owen that should have been a yellow card.
In the North incident the bounce of the ball was impossible to read, North jumped into contact taking off only one pace away from Thompstone he actually still had one foot on the grass as he caught the ball he led with his knee towards Adam's head who raised his arms to North's legs. I don't know what Thompstone could have done, I don't blame North who is a fine player but in this instance showed poor technique. Referees have to examine the circumstances of these situations and not just hand out cards on the basis of how player lands, if someone is in the air why is he in the air? If it is in the lineout or to stop a ball that would otherwise have gone into touch fair enough but if it is simply to avoid a tackle or to gain momentum into contact then that should be a decision against the airborne traveller, in my humble opinion of course.

As a vertically-challenged former poor hooker myself I am a great fan of young Harry. I didn't see the heel against the head close up - was it a strike or did it bounce off his 2nd row's knees as was always, always the case on the rare occasions when I lost my strike? Still his victory for channeling it anyway, of course.

I agree wholeheartedly with the rest of this post.

[TomWeston]

Rugby is a game for gents, it's just a shame Tigger fans cannot be classified as such.

Tarring everyone with the same brush through stereotyping is just plain wrong. I can't abide people who stereotype - particularly racists and Norwegians.

Quite - those Norwegian Blues deserve everything they get!

[BFG]

drc.007 described our scrum as a penalty machine with Thacker there he ignores the success against the head, the ground made in open play and the ball winning by Harry to concentrate on the one scrum penalty against us while Thacker was on. The change of Hooker on 50 minutes was obviously a planned change. The second scrum penalty against us was after the change, in neither case is it possible to judge from the stands or TV where the blame lies, credit was given to Saints prop Waller.
Initially I thought their try was a double movement, I still think that could have been given but having watched it now on tv I think Mr Doyle got it right. He was however wrong about the high tackle on Owen that should have been a yellow card.
In the North incident the bounce of the ball was impossible to read, North jumped into contact taking off only one pace away from Thompstone he actually still had one foot on the grass as he caught the ball he led with his knee towards Adam's head who raised his arms to North's legs. I don't know what Thompstone could have done, I don't blame North who is a fine player but in this instance showed poor technique. Referees have to examine the circumstances of these situations and not just hand out cards on the basis of how player lands, if someone is in the air why is he in the air? If it is in the lineout or to stop a ball that would otherwise have gone into touch fair enough but if it is simply to avoid a tackle or to gain momentum into contact then that should be a decision against the airborne traveller, in my humble opinion of course.

North read it!

I actually agree for once about Thacker, I thought he had a decent game, I still think his lineout is overhyped above others like Tom Youngs and McGuigan, it's not as quite as consistent as I recall last season but it's pretty good all the same and still the obligatory missed tackle but the scrum was much improved.
Personally I credit Bateman as much as anyone but there is little doubt it started to fail towards the end of the first half and maybe some of us (me included) have underestimated Brookes impact on the Saints scrum which has been pretty strong recently.
Many questions still to be answered IMO, I'm just glad it wasn't Munster, Glasgow or Saracens!

[Crumblies]

.....Nor have I been so embarrassed when a group of your so called fans spent the entire match shouting and singing vile comments littered with four letter words and unbelievably the C word. Poor in itself but when my wife is stood immediately next to them just disgusting. We shouldn't have been surprised then when on leaving we asked to squeeze through ( as the walkway was completely blocked) only to be blanked with said inbreds actually making it more difficult to pass.
Rugby is a game for gents, it's just a shame Tigger fans cannot be classified as such.

What a relief, to know that real Tiger fans weren't responsible for this behaviour.

How do I know these weren't true tiger supporters? Because we just don't do singing. We have spent 30 years Saintberni, trying to discover a song that Tiger fans will sing all to no avail.

However on behalf of said true Tiger supporters I offer my sincere apologies for any mindless morons who have infiltrated Welford Road. I can assure you that from, my now comfortable seat in the Cat Stand, Northampton supporters (who were close by) were made most welcome, your team were given due appreciation on taking and leaving the field and Myler was given Welford Road respect when taking his kicks at goal.

[Hinckley Bob]

I fear the strong possibility of a post match sanction for Tommo.

That would be a travesty. A fairer outcome in my opinion would be North cited for dangerous play and an apology issued from Premier Rugby to Tombstone for the yellow. Oh and...I want a big, line-busting 8 from Santa!

I suspect that, had Thompstone cowered away from the oncoming North instead of trying to catch him, North would have been the one being carded.

[teds]

I thank the few fans who realise what the issues are here, the real problems though start at the top and irresponsible comments being made by the hierarchy and jumped upon by morons.

This is not just a issue at Welford Road unfortunately we have similar issues at the gardens!!

The only foul language I heard in the ground on Saturday was from a Saints fan close to me, effing all the way through the match. To be fair, his grown up kid looked pretty embarrassed. Mind you I had my woolly hat on so maybe there were Tigers fans slightly further down the terrace who I couldn't quite hear.

Poor behaviour who ever it comes from.

[Bowden Tiger]

In response to Saint Berni, before the game started, the fans waiting to get into the ground clapped several players in as they walked through. However, there was a group of Saints fans cheering them off the coach, who broke into song, which unfortunately included a fair amount of foul language.
There didn't seem to be any issues during the match.The only issue came when a group of fans, mostly Saints, tried to push their way through the fans on the terrace at the end of the match. They obviously don't understand that you cannot cross the players entry to the playing surface until all players/ coaches etc have left that playing surface. Once this happens the stewards will allow passage across the central part of the terrace.
In trying to push through, they not only pushed into adults, but frightened young children. What was worse that the majority were too drunk to be reasoned with, and stewards became involved, and quite frankly turned a possible nasty situation into one where everyone went away unharmed.
Obviously, there are other issues, such as the way the terrace empties, but the main one on Saturday was drink, far too much in my view. The club need to review allowing the bars to remain open during the game, but of course that is preventing those who don't consume too much, from enjoying their match experience.

[Soggypitch]

From my position on the terrace I heard no bad language. However I have experienced it in the past on 3 or 4 occasions in many tens of games watched. I always move away which is eminently possible on the terrace.

The worst occasion for me was a Friday night game v Wasps in the mid 2000's when the language and generally threatening behaviour was terrible and I was with my wife and youngish family at the time.

There were a number of complaints from fans that evening. I complained via the general Tigers email address, saying the stewards were worse than useless etc only to receive a phone call the next day from Peter Tom apologising personally and promising to do something about it. Very impressive.

Luckily genuine bad behaviour remains a fairly rare occurrence and happens in all clubs I think. We should not be complacent however and I would apologise to any Saints fans that had to suffer that situation on Saturday.

[jgriffin]

There were certainly a group of fans on the terrace about 2008-12 who were thoroughly abusive, but since then (as a dedicated Crumbie dweller)almost all of the poor behaviour comes from groups of young people who seem to have a lot to drink, push towards the front, and from their comments know nothing much about rugby - and usually don't return after halftime. I have never received abuse at any other ground than Glaws, and neither have my Saints-in-laws.
This fixture has a history of vigorous play, but there never seemed to be much friction between fans, indeed quite the opposite.

[kelmat]

There were certainly a group of fans on the terrace about 2008-12 who were thoroughly abusive, but since then (as a dedicated Crumbie dweller)almost all of the poor behaviour comes from groups of young people who seem to have a lot to drink, push towards the front, and from their comments know nothing much about rugby - and usually don't return after halftime. I have never received abuse at any other ground than Glaws, and neither have my Saints-in-laws.
This fixture has a history of vigorous play, but there never seemed to be much friction between fans, indeed quite the opposite.

+1

[wormus]

wormus wrote:
Well posted BJ. On the SCW article on Twickenham spectator interuptions.

Thank you but I cannot claim all the credit. The cutting from the paper was shown to me at the match on Saturday afternoon and I've simply provided a link to the article online. Surely you don't think I'd actually buy the Daily Mail, do you?

Well BJ I only read DM on line and today's article on Saints duty of care to North is concerning if the team only want him back on the pitch, unsure if the Medics
were correct in their diagnosis. Players safety is above the call of the pitch!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... ester.html