Premiership Preview - Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers

 

There's an old expression – "Out of the frying pan and into the fire".  It doesn't really bare too much relevance any more, but "Out of the frying pan and onto the scolding-hot-ceramic-hob-with-a-two-inch-layer-of-grease" doesn't quite have the same ring to it.  However, the principal remains true, especially in rugby – you can play what you thing is the toughest game of the season, but then you find out that the tough has only just got going.  And that's probably how Leicester feel as they prepare to take on the reigning Premiership Champions, Northampton Saints, away from home one week after facing off to the reigning European Champions, Toulon, away from home.  Nothing like an easy run in to Christmas, hey?

Northampton, to my money, are right up there with the favourites to snatch Toulon's European crown, and are one of the few clubs who can avoid looking embarrassed when comparing star quality.  Domestic talents such as Courtney Lawes, Dylan Hartley and Tom Wood are complemented by international big names like George North, the Pisi brothers and Samu Manoa; a Northampton team, at full strength, is a frightening prospect.  They may not be at absolutely 100% - Alex Corbisiero and George Pisi are currently crocked – but they more than make up for that with confidence.  Two crushing victories over Treviso in Europe provided plenty of entertainment and allowed the backline to stretch their legs, but with that comes perhaps a suspicion that they may be 'undercooked' when heading in to face the Tigers, fresh off two titanic battles with Europe's best.  However, you don't get to sit pretty on top of the Premiership table by taking teams like Leicester lightly.

The Tigers' problems this season have been well documented, but the last couple of weeks should provide fans with at least some modicum of comfort, despite the fact that their backline remains as incisive as a damp paper towel without Manu Tuilagi.  Why they've waited until next year to bring in a backs-focused coach (Aaron Mauger) after Matt O'Connor is anyone's guess.  But the good news is that the old flame is back.  The gnarliness, the aggression, the uncompromising defence.  Make no mistake, the Tigers bullied Toulon – with the likes of Chris Masoe and Bakkies Botha – at Welford Road in the contact, with the front row of Marcos Ayerza, Tom Youngs and Dan Cole particularly impressive.  The 10-time finalists know that they can't necessarily compete with the x-factor out wide, but the pack is capable of taking anyone on (even without the likes of Brad Thorne and Ed Slater) and with Tom Croft making a re-appearance, perhaps there is scope for them to throw up a couple of surprises.

Leicester might be out of the frying pan, but they're about to enter the fire.  And, at Franklins Gardens, when Leicester come to town, you can usually expect some fireworks as well.

Saints Team News

England centre Luther Burrell returns to the Northampton Saints side for the first East Midlands derby since May's Premiership semi-final.  Saints, 21-20 victors seven months ago, also bring Alex Waller, Christian Day and Samu Manoa into the pack.

Starting Line-up:  Wilson; K. Pisi, Stephenson, Burrell, North; Myler, Fotuali'i; A Waller, Hartley (capt), Ma'afu; Lawes, Day; Clark, Wood, Manoa.

Subs: Haywood, E. Waller, Denman, Dickinson, Dowson, Dickson, Elliott, Foden.

Key Player

Samu Manoa.  For the first time in quite a long time, Saints fans probably won't be feeling that same sense of dread that they usually do when the Tigers come to visit – however, Leicester's pack and physicality can still cause plenty of concern.  That's where the one man wrecking ball that is Samu Manoa comes in.  He's always been capable of delivering a rib-tickler or two – that's an understatement – but in previous years I've often thought that he's been underwhelming with the ball in hand.  This season, however, he seems to have added carrying to his already well-strung bow, and has been causing carnage in the tight and in the wider channels, galloping in for a hat-load of tries already.  With his aggression in defence and offence, as the Americans would say, Saints can beat the Tigers at their own game.

Tigers Team News

Graham Kitchener moves into the pack to replace dual-code international Brad Thorn (calf), while Marcos Ayerza will make his 200th Tigers appearance.

Hooker Tom Youngs makes his second Premiership start since September after recovering from a shoulder injury, while flanker Tom Croft comes into the starting XV for just the second time this season after struggling with a knee injury.

Starting Line-up:  Tait; Scully, Smith, Allen, Goneva; Williams, B Youngs (capt); Ayerza, T Youngs, Cole, Kitchener, Parling; Croft, Salvi, Crane.

Subs: Ghiraldini, Rizzo, Balmain, De Chaves, Barbieri, Harrison, Burns, Benjamin.

Key Player

Tom Croft.  It's always difficult to tell how a player will react to coming back from a serious injury, but Croft has had more experience than most in this respect – and he's always handled it pretty well, making a Lions Tour after breaking his neck just 12 months before.  In his stead, Jamie Gibson has done a very good job indeed, but there is no doubt that Croft offers something extra.  He poses more of a threat in the wider channels than Leicester's backs do, and his ability to hit the ball at pace and pick off slower defenders make him a tremendous asset to the ex-Champions.  On form, he is one of the best attacking flankers on the planet – it may be unrealistic to expect him to hit those heights straight away, but he has to try to get himself into the game.

 

Key Battle

Dylan Hartley v Tom Youngs.  Both of these guys have endured a pretty frustrating time of late.  Youngs has been sidelined with a shoulder injury for almost 3 months whilst Hartley was distinctly underwhelming during the Autumn Series, but both have had reason to smile over the last couple of weeks.  Hartley has signed a new contract keeping him at Saints for the foreseeable future, whilst Youngs was magnificent in his display against Toulon at Welford Road, carrying hard and proving deadly accurate with his old Achilles heel, lineout throwing.  But there won't be too many smiles on Saturday afternoon.  The East Midlands derby does not take any prisoners, with aggression and physicality being the two most precious commodities on offer – and these two lead from the front in this regard.  Whoever comes out on top in this battle – with an England shirt in mind, too – sets the tone for the entire match.

Prediction

Last year's semi-final win broke more than one hoodoo.  It signalled the end of Leicester's decade-long monopoly on final appearances, and it stopped Saints' 10 game no-win streak against their most bitter rivals.  But they need to back that performance up with another couple of wins this season if we are to really believe that they are indeed the new kings of the (East Midlands) hill.  As usual, anything can happen in an East Midlands derby, but Saints just seem more fluid and stronger on paper – and I think they will have just enough for the win.  Saints by 5.