By Daventry Saint
December 8 2011

If there ever was a time to brand a game a ‘must win’ – this is it. The Saints have made a frankly disastrous start to their Heineken Cup campaign with two successive loses – one very narrow loss in a fantastically intense encounter against Munster, and one rather embarrassing and unexpected loss to Llanelli Scarlets. 

CASTRES OLYMPIQUE vs. NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Saturday, 10th December 2011 - 1.30pm(UK)

POOL ONE - MATCH THREE

STADE PIERRE-ANTOINE, CASTRES

MATCH PREVIEW

This weekend’s fixture poses a difficult equation for the Northampton Saints management. Following last weekend’s game against Leicester Tigers, the Saints are minus three of their four most experienced back-row players – Calum Clark and Roger Wilson to injury and Phil Dowson to a two-week suspension for a dangerous tackle on Alex Goode. Northampton have been without Clark for a good few weeks, however the loss of both Wilson and Dowson leaves the side without a proven top-class operator in the No.8 shirt. This leaves the coaching team with a difficult situation – who will deputise for the injured Wilson at the back of the scrum? There are a number of possible candidates, all of whom lack any sustained experience at No.8 at the top level: Samu Manoa, James Ingle and Tom Wood.

When he was initially brought to the club Samu Manoa was seen as a utility back-row forward that had the ability to play in the second-row – however his development under Jim Mallinder, and particularly Dorian West, has seen the American moulded into a workhorse in the engine-room with athleticism to rival Saints England star Courtney Lawes, rather than a candidate for the No.8 jersey. That is not to say that Manoa couldn’t operate in the position if called upon.

For James Ingle, this may be the perfect opportunity to prove his ability to the coaching staff. Ingle has been with the Saints for a number of seasons, first in the Junior Academy before moving up to the Senior Academy, and then making his first team debut in the 2009/10 LV= Cup campaign that Northampton would go on to win. Since then, Ingle has had little opportunity to break into the first team – perhaps this is his opportunity to follow in Ben Nutley’s footsteps and earn himself regular game time. Anyone that has seen Ingle’s performances for the Wanderers this season will have no doubt that Ingle has the ability and potential, and one would hope that is it time for him to grasp his opportunity – if given to him – with both hands.

The final option to fill the No.8 jersey is probably the most likely. Recently there have been calls for Tom Wood to move into the No.8 slot, particularly for the national side’s benefit. Wood possesses all of the skills needed to be an effective 8 – size, pace and power. Add to that his ability at the breakdown and his outstanding work in the lineout, and Wood is the ideal candidate, even if only on a temporary basis.

Obviously, finding a suitable replacement at the base of the scrum is not the only selection headache for Mallinder and West. Following the Leicester fixture Chris Ashton has also been cited, however his punishment was controversially more severe than Dowson’s. Ashton will be missing from the Saints’ 1^st XV for the next four weeks, missing both Castres fixtures in the process. In the past replacing Ashton in the side would have been a difficult task for Northampton, but with the signings of Vasily Artemyev, Noah Cato and the continued development of Jamie Elliott and Scott Armstrong has provided ample cover for the England flyer. Artemyev has recently been usurped in the side by Elliott who has regularly impressed when appearing in the first time, whilst Armstrong has been making strides both in the Wanderers and the first team. Add to the equation the recently out-of-favour Paul Diggin, and Northampton appear to have an abundance of talent available for selection on the wings, even without Ashton.

Add to these selection issues the battle for the 12 and 13 shirts between James Downey, Tom May, Jon Clarke and George Pisi and the Saints could field a much-changed side to that which faced the Tigers.

Previously I have tended to give an overview on the oppositions likely side and their strengths and weaknesses, as well as our likely strategies to combat them – this week will not be one of these occasions. Instead, this week needs to be all about the Saints. We saw last weekend that we can take any team apart in a matter of seconds with fast, accurate and exciting heads-up rugby, as long as we believe in ourselves. This is exactly what we need to deliver against Castres this weekend.

This week, Northampton have to win, and win well. A bonus point victory in Castres is not impossible, but unlikely. To achieve that, the Saints have to be fearless – they must battle at every breakdown, make every tackle, kick every goal and grab every try-scoring opportunity available to them – or else face a rather awkward early exit from the competition.

Even without Ashton, Dowson, Clark and Wilson – not to mention Christian Day – the Saints have the ability to beat anyone, anywhere at any time. We just have to believe, and that goes for us supporters as well.

Sat 10 Dec, 2.30pm: Castres Olympique
DaventrySaint’s Predicted Team:

15 Ben Foden
14 Paul Diggin
13 George Pisi
12 James Downey
11 Jamie Elliott
10 Ryan Lamb
9 Lee Dickson
1 Soane Tonga’uhia
2 Dylan Hartley
3 Brian Mujati
4 Samu Manoa
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Courtney Lawes
7 Ben Nutley
8 Tom Wood

Replacements:
16 Mikey Haywood
17 Alex Waller
18 Paul Doran-Jones
19 James Craig
20 James Ingle
21 Martin Roberts
22 Stephen Myler
23 Tom May