AS THE COUNTDOWN continues to tomorrow’s Heineken Cup decider, we take a closer look at the side many in Leinster fail to show up on the day, metaphorically that is. Introducing Northampton.
Whilst Leinster’s Brian O’Driscoll has managed to make himself fit enough to start tomorrow, there’s been no such luck for one of the Saints’ key men flanker Tom Wood who even tried sleeping in an oxygen tent to be fit in time for the Cardiff final.
Alas, he was not to make it but there will be plenty of other Northamptonians (Yes, that’s what they’re called. We looked it up) who will be at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Here’s the low down…
Northampton? Where’s that?
It’s a large market town in the East Midlands, about 67 miles north-west of London and 50 miles south-east of Birmingham. Despite a population of over 200,000 it is not considered a city but a town, and England’s third largest at that. Not that you’ll need to know much about the place given the action is all happening in Cardiff where our intrepid and probably by now smelly and unwashed reporter Niall Kelly is currently.
What about this rugby club of theirs then?
Northampton Saints RFC, to give them their full name, play at Franklin’s Gardens , capacity 13,591. They are coached by Jim Mallinder who is formerly of the Sale Sharks and England youth levels.
Their home stadium was too small for their quarter and semi-final Heineken Cup games meaning they had to play at nearby stadium: Milton Keynes, home of the MK Dons football team. With planning issues meaning they are currently unable to redevelop Franklin Garden’s, there could be more games played at their so-far lucky second home in the future.
A move there would go down in history, speaking of which…
Well, the club itself was founded in 1880, making it one of the oldest rugby club’s in the country. They were originally known as Northampton St James hence the current name Northampton Saints and the nickname the Jimmies.
Founded by a local reverend, his concept was to promote order amongst his younger parish members by means of a “hooligan sport” that would be “designed to turn them into gentlemen”.
It was not long before they became one of the country’s biggest club’s churning out a batch of England internationals and welcoming the All Blacks in 1905 which saw them add gold to their original black and green stripes.
You can order your own green, black and gold Saints top from the Northampton Saints online store but we’re guessing most of your Leinster fans out there won’t want to and many more would be discouraged by the £64.99 price tag.
Stick to the subject, any famous tales of yore?
The Saints’ first England captain was Edgar Mobbs whose exploits on the rugby field were nothing compared to his exploits on the battlefield where he died bravely fighting for Britain in the gruesomeness of World War I.
Initially denied a commission by his commanding officers, he formed his own corps that became known as the Sportsman’s Battalion. Within 18 months he was battalion commander and died as he lived - according the Saints website - charging a German machine gun in the famous Battle of Passchendaele.
Mobbs is remembered in the shape of a memorial match between East Midlands and the Barbarians as well as a memorial in Northampton’s Market Square.
What a hero, they don’t make ‘em like that any more…
Indeed not. The Saints growth continued post-war as they produced numerous England internationals before entering into a decline centered on animosity between those in charge and those that played for the club.
This lasted right up until the 1980s when they were rejuvenated by a so-called ‘Saints Revolution’ led by former players. After storming through Division Two in 1994 under former Lions legend Ian McGeechan the club went professional in 1995 as did the entire top-level union code and enjoyed mixed fortunes in the years that followed.
They reached the pinnacle of club rugby when they won the European Cup in 2000, beating our own Munster by the narrowest of margins – 9-8. Then in 2004/05 they narrowly survived relegation before eventually being relegated from the Guinness Premiership in 2007.
The arrival of Mallinder as coach in 2007 saw them easily promoted again and the following season they lifted the European Challenge Cup, qualifying them for last season’s Heineken Cup where they exited at the quarter final stage to Munster.
They were runners up in last season’s Guinness Premiership and won the LV= Cup, an indication of the success being enjoyed since Mallinder’s arrival that has culminated in Saturday’s final appearance in Cardiff.
Plenty to be worried about then…
Perhaps although Northampton haven’t enjoyed the best of preparations for the final with the problems for Aviva Premiership player of the year Wood and a defeat in the Premiership semi-finals to bitter rivals Leicester Tigers which wrecked their double hopes.
Although the similarities with the victorious 2000 side are noticeable given that they had a core of English internationals as this current crop does with the likes of Ben Foden and Chris Ashton key players for them.
In the front row, there’s Soane Tonga’uiha, Dylan Hartley and Brian Mujati who are powered by Courtney Lawes with Foden and Ashton offering counter-attacking threats at full-back and wing.
One of the heroes of 2000, Paul Grayson, who is now part of the Saints coaching set-up told The Telegraph: “If you are looking for parallels, there are plenty of them.”
The paper also points out that Leinster are an Irish province just as Munster was in 2000. And still is, to be fair.
To be fair to The Telegraph it does make a few more interesting observations noting that like O’Driscoll, outside centre Jon Clarke will be, eh, central to Northampton’s fortunes at the Millenium Stadium, defending the wide channels and forcing turnovers.
But he’s no BOD…
Indeed he’s not and Northampton know that Leinster are undoubtedly the favourites but there’s all the usual bluster from coach Mallinder about not being there to make up the numbers and a “massive motivation” to bring home a trophy.
Ultimately a cup final is a cup final and anything can happen.
