RUGBY HEINEKEN CUP AND EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP:THERE IS little chance that Northampton Saints will be suffering from complacency when Connacht arrive at Franklin's Gardens for Saturday's European Challenge Cup quarter-final despite being overwhelming favourites to advance to the penultimate stage of the tournament.
Motivation could be derived from a history lesson when in 1998 a Warren Gatland-coached Connacht team shocked the English club, winning 20-15 at Saturday’s venue, before ultimately losing out to Agen in a quarter-final tie. The Saints didn’t go marching from the pool stages 11 years ago, a blemish they’ll be keen to address at the weekend.
It’s more likely, though, that the English club will be forewarned from within as the Northampton squad contains five Irish-born players, four of whom are likely to be in the match squad, and all of whom would be well versed with Connacht’s facility to periodically defy convention.
James Downey, Roger Wilson, Neil Best and Barry Everitt will probably tog out but injury might deprive former Ulster hooker Paul Shields of a place as he last played a match on February 28th against the Newcastle Falcons. The 30-year-old had played 17 matches – seven starts and 10 as a replacement – up to that point.
The 6ft 4ins Downey has cut an imposing figure in the Saints midfield, a fact recognised in him twice being shortlisted for player-of-the-month awards. Having spent time with Leinster, Connacht, Munster and most recently Italian club Calvisano, the former Clontarf player has settled at Franklin’s Gardens, improving appreciably as a player this season.
Noted for the physicality of his ball-carrying and tackling, the 28-year-old has introduced more subtle qualities to his skill set. He’s played 25 matches for the Saints this season – he would have played more games but for a spell on the sidelines through injury – scoring three tries, playing the role of broadsword to Joe Ansbro’s rapier.
Best has become something of a cult figure with Saints’ fans even though his season was abbreviated by an 18-week ban after being found guilty by an English RFU disciplinary panel of eye gouging. The incident, which involved Wasps and England flanker James Haskell, took place during a league game in October.
Haskell was taken to Northampton General Hospital, where an ophthalmologist diagnosed a corneal abrasion and prescribed antibiotic drops. The disciplinary panel said it accepted Best had not intentionally searched for Haskell’s eye and did not intend to inflict serious injury.
Best, capped 18 times by Ireland and noted for his physicality, had never previously been cited while playing for the national side or Ulster. It was a blow for a player in his first season at a club but the 30-year-old has been an ever present virtually since returning to competitive fare on January 28th.
His fellow Ulsterman and backrow forward Roger Wilson also suffered a disciplinary setback when receiving a five-week ban for a dangerous tackle on Harlequins captain Will Skinner during a league game earlier in the season. Despite this enforced sabbatical, the 27-year-old number eight has still managed to rack up 24 appearances this season, scoring four tries in the process. His influence can be gauged from the fact that he is a strong contender for the club’s player-of-the-year honours.
Everitt, the all-time leading points scorer in the Premiership, most of which were accumulated during his time at London Irish, has been sufficiently impressive as back-up to Steve Meyler at outhalf that the club let former All Black Carlos Spencer move to Gloucester.
The 32-year-old Tipperary-born pivot has made four starts for the Saints and come on in a further seven matches this season. Northampton are eighth in the Premiership so the most likely avenue back into next season’s Heineken Cup, a trophy they won nine years ago, is by winning the Challenge Cup.
New Zealand-born skipper Bruce Reihana admitted: “It’s a very important match. You can be sure there’s no complacency ahead of the quarter-final and we’ll be working hard to make sure it stays that way. We owe ourselves as well as this town to do well in this competition.”
It will be interesting to see how heavily that expectation weighs come Saturday.
Experienced prop Robbie Morris is Connacht’s biggest injury concern ahead of Saturday’s clash. The former England international is struggling to recover from a leg injury picked up against Edinburgh the weekend before last. The 27-year-old missed the 39-17 win over the Dragons at the weekend. Connacht are boosted by the return to full fitness of scrum-half Frank Murphy who was not risked against the Dragons.
