ON TUESDAY MORNING Munster had a meeting where they looked at Northampton Saints’ various backs strikes in preparation for their Champions Cup clash tomorrow.
The options on the Northampton menu were varied and plentiful. So much so that it was decided the best course of action was to focus on trends or patterns, rather than allowing the large mix of individual plays create an information overload.
Northampton are a dangerous team in the midst of a strange season. Last year they were Premiership champions for the first time in a decade, while in the Champions Cup they beat Munster home and away before travelling to Croke Park for a three-point semi-final defeat to Leinster.
This time around the Saints have yet to march with the same authority. The summer saw some big exits, with Courtney Lawes packing his bags for Brive and Lewis Ludlam signing for Toulon. Those moves stripped some of the power from the Northampton pack, but they still possess quality attacking threats across the backline. Lock Alex Coles was the only Northampton forward included in England’s Six Nations squad, named earlier this week, while five Saints backs made the cut – Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell, Ollie Sleightholme and Fin Smith.
They sit eighth in the Premiership table having lost five from 10 in the league. Last weekend they went 21-0 up away to Stade Francais before going on to lose 45-35. It was a shock result, but came from a Northampton team missing Smith, Sleightholme and Dingwall, as well as George Furbank and George Hendy.
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Out-half Finn Smith is one of six Northampton players in England's Six Nations squad. Steve Haag Sports / Deon van der Merwe/INPHO
Steve Haag Sports / Deon van der Merwe/INPHO / Deon van der Merwe/INPHO
Munster expect to find a stronger Saints 23 waiting for them in Franklin’s Gardens tomorrow, even if the Saints are already qualified for the round of 16. Coles is going through return to play protocols while Hendy remains a doubt due to a shoulder issue and Sleightholme is managing a hamstring problem. Smith could return after illness while Furbank isn’t expected to be back on the pitch until March.
Munster are just one point off the Saints at the top of Pool 3 so have the opportunity to secure a home game in the round of 16. Last weekend’s win over Saracens took some pressure off the group and has energised their run into tomorrow’s game, but Munster are expecting a different type of contest to the niggly, kick-heavy battle with Mark McCall’s men.
Northampton can attack at speed and like to use the width of the pitch. While Munster could dig in and defend more narrowly against Saracens, there is a higher danger of getting stretched against the Saints. Defensive discipline and good linespeed will be key, while they must cut down on last weekend’s 22 handling errors.
Munster’s players have been studying the tapes but their preparation has also been bolstered by the presence of Chris Boyd, who joined the province as a performance consultant last month. The New Zealander spent four years with Northampton and helped lay the foundations to their recent resurgence.
While Boyd’s role is primarily focused on supporting Munster’s coaching team, his insights around Northampton mean he’s had a little more to offer this week.
“There’s a pep in his step and a bit more excitement about what he knows about Northampton,” says Munster’s interim head coach, Ian Costello.
I don’t think there’s any divided loyalty, he’s all in the camp here and he’s been really helpful.
“He works in the background, he’ll have a quiet word in your ear or in meetings he’ll be ‘do you mind if I say something’ and we’re, like, ‘stop asking that, just contribute in any way you want.
“It’s very much in the background, it’s not hands on, he doesn’t coach. He doesn’t get involved in picking the team but what he is very good for is sense-checking around ‘what do you think of that?’, ‘we’ve an alternative way of doing that’ or ‘anything you’re seeing there?’ That’s the way we are in this building anyway, we always have been, it’s just really, really open. He’s added quite a bit and hopefully he does for the foreseeable as well.”
Costello set Boyd up in his own office and much of his work with the coaches is done through small chats around the building. Now that he’s been on board for a couple of weeks, he’s increasingly been making his voice available for the playing squad.
“The first few weeks I think he was just observing a lot, and he was offering his opinion, but the last week or two he’s definitely offering his opinion more,” explains Munster scrum-half Conor Murray.
Boyd with Munster scrum-half Craig Casey. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“Obviously we’re playing Northampton, but even last weekend with Sarries, he was just offering small bits of information to lads, like feeding lads a few of his thoughts and he does have a lot of one-on-one chats around the building with players.
“He’s been around for a while but he’s unbelievably up to date with modern rugby and the laws and the way people play. He has a great rugby mind. There’s nothing specific he’s told me, but in terms of the group and in our backs units meetings he offers up his opinion on scrum strikes or attacking plays that we mightn’t have seen.
“It’s just a different point of view from someone who’s traveled around, and he’s been brilliant.”
His inside knowledge might just give Munster the edge over his former employers this weekend.
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Boyd offers Munster valuable insight for Northampton challenge
ON TUESDAY MORNING Munster had a meeting where they looked at Northampton Saints’ various backs strikes in preparation for their Champions Cup clash tomorrow.
The options on the Northampton menu were varied and plentiful. So much so that it was decided the best course of action was to focus on trends or patterns, rather than allowing the large mix of individual plays create an information overload.
Northampton are a dangerous team in the midst of a strange season. Last year they were Premiership champions for the first time in a decade, while in the Champions Cup they beat Munster home and away before travelling to Croke Park for a three-point semi-final defeat to Leinster.
This time around the Saints have yet to march with the same authority. The summer saw some big exits, with Courtney Lawes packing his bags for Brive and Lewis Ludlam signing for Toulon. Those moves stripped some of the power from the Northampton pack, but they still possess quality attacking threats across the backline. Lock Alex Coles was the only Northampton forward included in England’s Six Nations squad, named earlier this week, while five Saints backs made the cut – Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell, Ollie Sleightholme and Fin Smith.
They sit eighth in the Premiership table having lost five from 10 in the league. Last weekend they went 21-0 up away to Stade Francais before going on to lose 45-35. It was a shock result, but came from a Northampton team missing Smith, Sleightholme and Dingwall, as well as George Furbank and George Hendy.
Munster expect to find a stronger Saints 23 waiting for them in Franklin’s Gardens tomorrow, even if the Saints are already qualified for the round of 16. Coles is going through return to play protocols while Hendy remains a doubt due to a shoulder issue and Sleightholme is managing a hamstring problem. Smith could return after illness while Furbank isn’t expected to be back on the pitch until March.
Munster are just one point off the Saints at the top of Pool 3 so have the opportunity to secure a home game in the round of 16. Last weekend’s win over Saracens took some pressure off the group and has energised their run into tomorrow’s game, but Munster are expecting a different type of contest to the niggly, kick-heavy battle with Mark McCall’s men.
Northampton can attack at speed and like to use the width of the pitch. While Munster could dig in and defend more narrowly against Saracens, there is a higher danger of getting stretched against the Saints. Defensive discipline and good linespeed will be key, while they must cut down on last weekend’s 22 handling errors.
Munster’s players have been studying the tapes but their preparation has also been bolstered by the presence of Chris Boyd, who joined the province as a performance consultant last month. The New Zealander spent four years with Northampton and helped lay the foundations to their recent resurgence.
While Boyd’s role is primarily focused on supporting Munster’s coaching team, his insights around Northampton mean he’s had a little more to offer this week.
“There’s a pep in his step and a bit more excitement about what he knows about Northampton,” says Munster’s interim head coach, Ian Costello.
“He works in the background, he’ll have a quiet word in your ear or in meetings he’ll be ‘do you mind if I say something’ and we’re, like, ‘stop asking that, just contribute in any way you want.
“It’s very much in the background, it’s not hands on, he doesn’t coach. He doesn’t get involved in picking the team but what he is very good for is sense-checking around ‘what do you think of that?’, ‘we’ve an alternative way of doing that’ or ‘anything you’re seeing there?’ That’s the way we are in this building anyway, we always have been, it’s just really, really open. He’s added quite a bit and hopefully he does for the foreseeable as well.”
Costello set Boyd up in his own office and much of his work with the coaches is done through small chats around the building. Now that he’s been on board for a couple of weeks, he’s increasingly been making his voice available for the playing squad.
“The first few weeks I think he was just observing a lot, and he was offering his opinion, but the last week or two he’s definitely offering his opinion more,” explains Munster scrum-half Conor Murray.
“Obviously we’re playing Northampton, but even last weekend with Sarries, he was just offering small bits of information to lads, like feeding lads a few of his thoughts and he does have a lot of one-on-one chats around the building with players.
“He’s been around for a while but he’s unbelievably up to date with modern rugby and the laws and the way people play. He has a great rugby mind. There’s nothing specific he’s told me, but in terms of the group and in our backs units meetings he offers up his opinion on scrum strikes or attacking plays that we mightn’t have seen.
“It’s just a different point of view from someone who’s traveled around, and he’s been brilliant.”
His inside knowledge might just give Munster the edge over his former employers this weekend.
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chris boyd Inside track Munster Rugby Northampton Saints