By Jonathan Stockham
October 23 2005

Continuing the Italian Job theme, Ben Cohen well and truly blew the doors off our visitors with a stunning hat trick of tries, the third of which will live long in the memories of the FG faithful. More later!

 

 

European Challenge Cup, Pool 1, Round 1

 

Result: Saints 47, Viadana 25

 

 

Saints racked up seven tries in this first round of our visit to Euro-land but a feisty Viadana team scored three in reply and kept the score close in the first half with some accurate penalty kicks.

 

On a bright and breezy day, Saints started in the same fashion as the weather and their attacking intentions were clear from the start. Sam Harding nearly went over within 5 minutes but complained of being illegally held back.

 

However, two minutes later he succeeded after a clever line out challenge by Saints on Viadana’s throw. Two of the Saints jumpers were hoisted aloft, causing the Viadana hooker to throw long. The ball was snaffled by Harding  who charged towards the try line from 35 metres out, managing to keep going despite a frantic last ditch tackle and slid over on his knees. Bruce Reihana added the conversion, to make it 7-0 after 7 minutes.

 

The visitors front row were finding that Monsieur Poite, the French referee, was a bit of a stickler on scrummaging techniques and conceded several penalties at the set piece. Despite being handed the initiative, Saints were unable to finish moves off and the score board dozed off, until on 24 minutes, Bruce kicked a penalty from 40 metres when Viadana were pinged going over the top at a ruck.

 

The ref then decided that he had perhaps been a tad harsh on the Italians and awareded a knock on against Saints when Ben and Bruce dithered over who should catch a kicked ball and despite Ben facing towards his own try line, the scrum went to Viadana, 7 metres out from Saints line.

 

The scrum was safely won by Viadana who worked quick ball out to the narrow side where Pedrazzi galloped over for the five points, the subsequent conversion being missed.

 

After 27 minutes played, 10-5 to the home team. Close!

 

It became closer still minutes later when Saints were penalised for going over the top at a ruck after good attacking work by Viadana and Jacques Shutte took the three points to make the score 10-8 after 31 minutes. Closer still!

 

Saints woke up at this point and attacked up field with Harding leading the way, supported by Dave Quinlan but the Viadana defence held up well. Eventually, they fell off side but Bruce missed the kick at goal from the 22 metre line.

 

Saints kept pressing and again Viadana were adjudged off side. This time Bruce slotted the kick between the uprights for three points but the margin was narrowed back to two points again almost immediately when Dan Browne was isolated after catching the restart kick and pinged for not releasing. Shutte kicked the goal to make the score 13-11 after 37 minutes. Too close!

 

The Gardens crowd seemed to be letting their nerves get the better of them and it was probably the quietest this writer has seen at FG for many a month.

 

As half time approached Saints gave the crowd something to cheer about when they won a scrum in the opposition 22 and Carlos Spencer put in a superbly measured cross field kick to the right wing. Ben took the catch under pressure from the Viadana defence and wriggled free to surge over and score his first try of the day. Bruce added the conversion and the score moved to 20-11.

 

Saints were not finished however and Charlie Beech emerged from a Viadana ruck in Saints 22 and the ball was rapidly worked right and upfield by Rudd, recycled and moved left and a flip pass on by John Clarke to Ben would surely have put the winger in for his second try, if only the pass hadn’t been forward.

 

This last move was typical of Saints first half with plenty of attacking endeavour leading to nought as ball was lost in the tackle, not offloaded quickly enough or knocked on.

 

Half time score, 20-11

 

Saints started the second half as they had the first and Harding again nearly scored although the referee brought the players back for a knock on by Saints at the restart.

 

Carlos tried the cross field kick to Ben on the right wing again but he let the ball bounce into touch. Saints stole the line out and mauled the ball over the try line but Viadana managed to hold it up. Scrum 5 to Saints and Viadana were again penalised in the front row. Carlos kicked for the line out but Dan Browne threw such a lame pass off the top that Viadana stole the ball and cleared up field in to touch.

 

From that line out Saints looked to make amends and the ball was worked across field to Rudd who made ground  and fed the ball inside to Ben who was tackled just short.

 

The Saints attacks paid off on 10 minutes however when, after a surge up the left wing by Ben, Carlos put up another hanging kick to the right wing where the Viadana backs made a mess of securing catch. The ball bounced kindly and John Rudd following up superbly collected the ball and the 5 points. Bruce missed the conversion to bring the score to 25-11 after 11 minutes.

 

Ben collected his second try after 19 minutes of the half after a fantastic backs move straight from the training field. Saints won a line out on the right side on Viadana’s 5 metre line. The ball was worked out to Carlos who passed and looped round behind his centres to take the return pass, fire it out left and after some slick passing Ben thundered over. Beautiful!

 

Bruce added the two points from nearly the same place as his match winning kick against Irish last week to bring the score to 32-11. Saints were now hunting for the bonus point and trying to keep Viadana from earning any for the future of the Pool 1 table.

 

That policy started to look a little fragile after the usual raft of substitutions when Tom Smith came on for Charlie Beech after a very creditable debut at FG, Dan Richmond on for No8 Dan Browne, Paul Diggin on for Bruce and Seamus Mallon on for King Carlos.

 

With Saints getting used to the newcomers and with players out of position it was almost inevitable when Viadana intercepted a short pop pass from Wally to gallop in from halfway for a fortuitous try and conversion.

 

Saints responded quickly with Lordy taking the ball on deep into Viadana territory and John Clarke scored in the left corner. Paul Diggin was now nominated goal kicker, well in theory, for the extra  two points went begging and the score now after 25 minutes was 37-18.

 

Then, a moment of Ben madness as he took a catch nearly on his own try line and decided to run it out of defence, when a cool head and kick to touch would have been the best option. Saints had to ground the ball in goal. Viadana were awarded a scrum 5, Saints were pinged for pushing early, Viadana took a quick tap and nipped over for a try, converted by Shutte to bring the scores closer at 37-25 and the visitors only needing one more try to earn a bonus point in the table.

 

And then a moment of Ben magic 5 minutes later (and I hope you will get the tapes, Andy Robinson) when he benefited from a piece of quick thinking and even quicker running by Diggin. The full back took a quick throw in to himself on the left touch line,15 metres into Saints half, ran like a startled rabbit across to the right where the ball was recycled and worked back to the left to Ben. These moves resulted in the Viadana defence being scattered all over the field and Ben decided to pay each one of them a visit as he waltzed up field, dancing forward, then left, then right, then forward again, then right and left leaving defenders grasping at his shadow and finally going over the try line in a glorious swallow dive to earn a standing ovation for a strong contender for try of the season, anywhere!

 

The conversion was missed but no matter as, in injury time, Saints broke out again with Mallon leading the charge up the right wing. He was slowed by a tap tackle but popped the ball up to Rudd who, after a bit of juggling, thundered 30 metres and touched down under the posts for his second try and an easy conversion for Digger. Oooooops!

 

The referee called no side and the final score after an exciting but sometimes flawed Saints performance was 47-25. A full five points to Saints in the Pool 1 table and 7 tries scored in the process but some further work needed to keep the game under control when the safe option is required to prevent points being gifted to the opposition.

 

The backs are really looking like a threat to any opponents now with King Carlos directing operations well, as long as he gets decent ball. The two youngsters in the pack showed great promise, especially Charlie Beech who did not seem at all fazed by the occasion, despite his youth, at prop.

 

So on to Bristol in the next round before domestic duties resume in the Premiership.

 

Scores:

 

Saints:            Tries;  Cohen 3

                                    Rudd 2

                                    Harding

                                    Clarke

                        Pens; Reihana 2

                        Conv: Reihana 3

 

Viadana:        Tries; Pedrazzi

                                    Wannenberg

                                    Travagli

                        Pens; Shutte 2

                        Conv; Shutte 2