By Jason Harris
February 7 2003

Saracens coach Wayne Shelfod returns to his old Franklin's Gardens stomping ground to face his namesake Wayne Smith and his Northampton Saints side that resides just one place and four points ahead of the Men in Black in the Zurich Premiership table. "I'm very much looking forward to going up to Northampton on Saturday." said Shelford "I had a great time there as a player where I met some lovely people, it's a great place."

Saints and England scrum half Matt Dawson added "It will be a big homecoming for Buck. He was great servant to the club in more ways than just being a player. I am sure he will want to bring up a Saracens side that will put in a good performance like they did at Vicarage Road."

Kyran Bracken, Dawson's main compeition for the England number nine shirt over the years, will be missing from the game after it was confirmed he had suffered a concussion during last weekend's home defeat to league leaders Gloucester. Robert Todd's high tackle has put the England A and Sarries captain out of action for three weeks.

If there were are two sides in the league more evenly matched than Saracens and Northampton, I have yet to find them. The two teams straddle the mid-table dividing line, Saints in sixth, Sarries seventh and if the home side win on Saturday, they will draw level in the league wins stakes; in the previous 17 meetings, The Men in Black are ahead 9-8.

Though Sarries are just ahead in overall wins, the Jimmies have had the better of the exchanges in recent seasons. Saracens' win at Vicarage Road last September was only the second in six outings against Northampton and they have not won at Franklin's Gardens since their historic 32-8 triumph in October 1999 when they were down to fourteen men for most of the game.

Both sides are near full strength although the Welsh connection will be missing as both Sarries centre/wing Tom Shanklin and Jimmies lock Steve Wiliams are unavailable due to Wales squad commitments.

Sarries have recalled Thomas Castaignede, Abdel Benazzi and Andy Goode to their starting line-up and, Bracken apart, the only first team regular missing will be long-term casualty David Flatman.


Saints have had Peter Jorgensen withdraw late due to a bruised lung sustained in training - he's replaced by Chris Hyndman - and have rested England hooker Steve Thompson and Scotland prop Matt Stewart. Dan Richmond and Robbie Morris, the young prop who could be pressed into internatonal action if England's current front row crisis persists, replace Thompson and Stewart respectively.

Even though the paying public will denied another fiery Dawson/Bracken encounter, there will be many more fascinating battles elsewhere on the paddock.

Outside halves Grayson and Goode will try to outdo one antoher with their kicking and distributionn and the big Bens, Johnston and Cohen, will go head-to-head on the wing.

Perhaps the biggest clash of all will be in the back row where Poutney and Blowers will be in tandem once again to make life difficult for Richard Hill and his henchmen Chesney and Peacey. This scrap will, in all probability, determine the outcome of the match.

Northampton have lost their way since their outstanding win at Leicester at the end of November. Three straight league defeats - two of them at home - have seen them drop to mid-table when they possibly thought they could have been challenging for a championship playoff place.

The Men in Black, meanwhile, have been involved in five games where the margin of victory was a single converted try or less, but they have won just two; at home to Newcastle and Leeds.

Sarries' away form has been abysmal this season. They have not won a league match on the road since their opening day demolition of Bristol and they will find it tough to win on a ground where they have conceded 97 points in their last two visits. Plus, Saints have the third-meanest defence in the league, so it will be difficult for Saracens to break it down in front of Northampton's own fans.

"On Saturday we'll have to play with confidence to win." Wayne Shelford commented. "It's imperative that we look after the ball, stick to the game plan and ensure that our defence doesn't get breached."

"I know their coach Wayne Smith well and it'll be good to see him, but this game isn't about me and him, but two teams competing" he added.

Games between these sides have a habit of producing something special and Sarries will need that little something if they are to come away from the east midlands with four points. But I fear that Wayne Shelford's return could well be less than triumphant one.