Northampton vs Bordeaux

[Puja]

Hands up if you understand how the European competition works this year? Anyone? Bueller?

No, me neither, but here's some teams to stop the board autocannibalising itself with further discussion of Farrell/Jones/Hopelessness:


Northampton Saints: Furbank; Tuala, Proctor, Hutchinson, Naiyaravoro; Biggar, Mitchell; Auterac, Matavesi, Franks, Ribbans, Isiekwe, Lawes, Wood (capt), Adendorff

Replacements: Fish, Van Wyk, Hill, Ratuniyarawa, Tonks, Taylor, Dingwall, Olowofela.

Bordeaux-Begles: Buros; Cordero, Moefana, Lamerat, Lam; Botica, Lucu; Paiva, Lamothe, Cobilas; Petti, Cazeaux; Woki, Diaby (capt), Higginbotham.

Replacements: Kaulashvili, Maynadier, Tameifuna, Marais, Tauleigne, Gimbert, Jalibert, Uberti.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Is Lawes straight back in?


And of course we all understand it. It’s simple. Each team plays a random number of teams from other groups and the same group to determine who plays each other in the other group on a Wednesday in March, so long as the wind is westerly, otherwise it’s a direct sprint off between two opposing squirrels with outrageous french accents, who will be pelted with duck feet by one armed homeless people from Cardiff resulting in an overall champion. And in the case of a draw there is a mass game of blindfold soggy biscuit whilst flautists kick for goal and the winner is Jesus.

[Adam_P]

Very good to have Lawes and Biggar back, and I've been waiting to see Isiekwe and Ribbans paired at lock together and Adendorff at 8 so pretty happy. We could really do with Naiyaravoro finding the confidence he had in the first half of last season to help spark the team into life.

[francoisfou]

Hands up if you understand how the European competition works this year? Anyone? Bueller?

No, me neither, but here's some teams to stop the board autocannibalising itself with further discussion of Farrell/Jones/Hopelessness:


Northampton Saints: Furbank; Tuala, Proctor, Hutchinson, Naiyaravoro; Biggar, Mitchell; Auterac, Matavesi, Franks, Ribbans, Isiekwe, Lawes, Wood (capt), Adendorff

Replacements: Fish, Van Wyk, Hill, Ratuniyarawa, Tonks, Taylor, Dingwall, Olowofela.

Bordeaux-Begles: Buros; Cordero, Moefana, Lamerat, Lam; Botica, Lucu; Paiva, Lamothe, Cobilas; Petti, Cazeaux; Woki, Diaby (capt), Higginbotham.

Replacements: Kaulashvili, Maynadier, Tameifuna, Marais, Tauleigne, Gimbert, Jalibert, Uberti.

The players highlighted were at Twickers on Sunday, and I was particularly impressed with young Moefana. He may not get his chance in the next 6N but is definitely one to watch. Woki, too, is making a name for himself and I expect him to be in the 6N squad.
Northampton are going to have a tough time and will be lucky to get a losing bp.

[FKAS]

Agreed the Woki lad looks a massive talent. Reminds me a bit of Tom Croft with his pace and lineout skills. Surprised Jalibert is on the bench behind Botica unless Bordeaux are taking it it easy.

Is Harry Mallinder injured again?

[Scrumhead]

Woki would be the ideal blindside for us in many respects. France do have an excellent crop.

I wonder how he and Diaby feel packing down with Petti?

Jalibert went off injured against England so I’m assuming he’s not fully fit.

[Peej]

Hands up if you understand how the European competition works this year? Anyone? Bueller?

No, me neither, but here's some teams to stop the board autocannibalising itself with further discussion of Farrell/Jones/Hopelessness:

.

Under appreciated reference

[Digby]

I wonder how he and Diaby feel packing down with Petti?

Is that the lad behind the racist conspiracy theory website one heats about in this county?

[Scrumhead]

Yes. Pablo Matera got the most press, but Petti was also one of them.

[twitchy]

I can't tell if saints are good or not.

[Adam_P]

Saints looking physical early doors, exactly what we need to do. Hopefully we can keep it up.

[Adam_P]

Putting some lovely plays together without dropping it too, crazy!

[Mellsblue]

Could he yellow card Biggar for being a whining bitch?

[Mellsblue]

Siri, what does imploding look like?

[twitchy]

That was brain dead from saints.

[Timbo]

How on earth did Saints lose that!? Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

[Adam_P]

Incredibly frustrating way to throw the game away, all standing around doing nothing watching a bouncing ball.

At least in general the performance, especially defensively, was a lot better than the dross we've been serving up since the resumption of rugby. Ribbans put in a hell of a shift.

[Tigersman]

Saints have lost their last 14 games in a row.

[Digby]

Pleased they lost that given Begles almost started as many English backs. And really why not play young much cheaper English players when expensive foreign signings are going to pass like Biggar? (Pass like Biggar is the new Maroon 5 single out in time for Christmas)

[twitchy]

Incredibly frustrating way to throw the game away, all standing around doing nothing watching a bouncing ball.

At least in general the performance, especially defensively, was a lot better than the dross we've been serving up since the resumption of rugby. Ribbans put in a hell of a shift.

I'm not even a saints fan but that annoyed me for some reason. How can you be professional rugby players and not be paying attention at such a key moment. Honestly we would have been shouted at for doing that at u16.

I agree that ribbans played well, the less said about fish the better he had a stinker.

[fivepointer]

Had a feeling Saints inability to convert possession and good territory into points might cost them. A dozy last 10 minutes undermined some of the good work they put in before that.
Very frustrating for Saints followers and even this neutral.
I'd agree that Ribbans had a very strong game.

[Adam_P]

Pleased they lost that given Begles almost started as many English backs. And really why not play young much cheaper English players when expensive foreign signings are going to pass like Biggar? (Pass like Biggar is the new Maroon 5 single out in time for Christmas)

Because Biggar isn't paid per game, and if we're paying him a salary of £600k it makes sense to use him. I don't think he had a particularly bad game either - we'd have lost by more with Grayson.

Of all the things Saints can be criticised for at the moment, I really don't think the number of EQP in the squad is one of them.

[Digby]

Pleased they lost that given Begles almost started as many English backs. And really why not play young much cheaper English players when expensive foreign signings are going to pass like Biggar? (Pass like Biggar is the new Maroon 5 single out in time for Christmas)

Because Biggar isn't paid per game, and if we're paying him a salary of £600k it makes sense to use him. I don't think he had a particularly bad game either - we'd have lost by more with Grayson.

Of all the things Saints can be criticised for at the moment, I really don't think the number of EQP in the squad is one of them.

I've little idea what Saints are doing more generally, I just looked at the backline for this particular game and thought if Sarries or Sale had done that people would quite rightly take the piss because it's pathetic. And given the result was pathetic anyway they might as well pick English instead, and if they can offload some of those failing higher paid names, doubtful, better still

[Adam_P]

Of the 56 man senior squad, the following are not EQP:
Adendorff
Biggar
Franks
Hutchinson
Matavesi
Naiyaravoro
Proctor
Ratuniyarawa
Tuala

So our entire contingent were in the 23 for this weekend. And I don't think you can include Hutchinson in your point, as he's an academy product who could have gone England or Scotland.

[Scrumhead]

Agreed. Saints have problems, but a a lack of EQP isn’t the main thing I’d be questioning.

Worth mentioning that while Sam Matavesi might be a Fijian international, he (along with his brothers) was born and bred in Cornwall too.