So, lets make the most of a saturday afternoon kick-off at the Gardens because they look like being few and far between now and Christmas at least as far as the league is concerned...sorry I'm not trying to be controversial but at least that gets that particular monkey off my back before getting on with matters in hand !

Its the return of the Wasps to the Gardens making that long journey from London/High Wycombe/Coventry to a traditional rugby ground as opposed to a football stadium. Last season when I penned a preview for this game I did get into trouble with some Waspish readers when I dared to mention the salary cap so this time I must be on best behaviour; that being said Wasps did a serious job on the Saints that day coming away comfortable victors and later completing a comprehensive double over the green, black and gold. There is talk of this game being a local derby which I suppose it is technically but we all know that the real derby is the 'other one' and long may that continue as the bragging rights decider. The days of Dayglo, Shaw, Worsely and yes even little Dawson are long gone but Wasps have been turned around as a club in the space of a year.

So lets look at the visitors tomorrow and see where we stand. We will not be seeing the likes of Haskell, Launchbury, Beale and Halai and for that we must be grateful and there are others missing as well. A well marshalled front row with the very promising Tommy Taylor at hooker will provide a stern test. The line-out ball will no doubt be heading towards skipper Gaskell but perhaps the greatest forward threat comes in form of that well known Englishman Nathan Hughes who provided the type of power game we remember so well from Samu just a couple of seasons ago. The combination of Simpson and Cipriani may still be work in progress to some extent this campaign and Saints must beware of some of Danny's tactical kicking allied to Joe's quick sniping runs The back line sees the metronomic Jimmy Gopperth at inside centre which means that Saints must not be giving away silly penalties within their own half of the field because this guy is so good from the kicking tee. Any side with Elliot Daly and Christian Wade must be dangerous and thus the defensive capabilities of our own backs will be sorely tested and last season Rob Miller looked very classy against us.

But what of Saints ? Well the injury list is still a long one - Hartley, Craig, Day, Burrell and of course Calum is still seeking some form of match fitness for the Wandies. The back line has a very familiar look to it with the exception of Nick Groom making his first start for the 1st XV. Quite what Messrs Collins, Packman and Wilson have to do to get back in the frame is a little beyond me but their absense means that the whole list of names from 11-15 has to put in some significantly better performances both individually and as a unit to keep the Franklins Faithfull in good humour.  Saints seem to have a huge problem in putting together an eighty minute game not only this season but last. We seem to miss too many chances, make too many defensive errors and not know when to pull the proverbial trigger. If we see an exhibition of box-kicking from Nick Groom tomorrow then we will know for sure that our scrum halves are playing to order and I for one am getting a little tired of kicking away possession. Perhaps the most mouth-watering confrontation must be that of Picamoles and Hughes; our new French recruit has been highly impressive in a Saints shirt and the battle of these giants could well be the key to the game. 

Thre has been much talk of a lack of atmosphere at the Gardens for some time now and it is high time that situation changed. To some extent it is chicken and egg, if the team performs then the crowd reacts well, if the team plays badly then the crowd goes flat. I can barely remember a really good exhibition of free-flowing rugby at the Gardens by the Saintly ones and an eighty minute winning perfomance is long overdue. The ground should be firm, the weather hopefully dry and it will be daylight throughout so here's hoping that a win will put Saints season back on course because lurking around the corner are the Chiefs next friday night !!!