Plenty of tries on the feast of St Stephen
Roar Guru
By pothale, 29 Dec 2009 Pot Hale is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Guinness Premiership, Magners League, Rugby Union
St Stephen’s weekend featured 11 derby matches across Ireland and Great Britain with little Christmas spirit on show for some clubs who were given festive hammerings by their local rivals, and served up a feast of tries for their fans.
St Stephen’s Day kicked off with matches in the Magners League and Guinness Premiership featuring Leinster v Ulster, Worcester v Northampton and Munster v Connacht.
Worcester Warriors are lurking heavily near the bottom of the table, and their hosts at Sixways were looking to take top spot if results went the right way.
The game finished 6-26 to the Saints who ran in three tries with no reply from the Warriors. Ben Foden at full-back was the star of the show, making a sublime break in the second half for about 25 metres before sending a perfect pass for his winger, Ashton to score. Having made one, Foden then took one himself in the corner.
Northampton added a third a little later and were unlucky not to get the bonus point try in the end. Martin Johnson will have something to smile about after the performance of Foden who might get a chance to start in the 15 shirt come the Six Nations.
Attention then turned to the Magners League as Llanelli Scarlets took on Ospreys in the West Wales derby. The Scarlets were clearly still suffering from the double H Cup hammering they received from Leinster before the Christmas.
They held up well in the first half going in ahead 9-7 at the break to keep the 15,000 crowd happy and Scarlets deserved their lead with Stephen Jones getting three kicks to the Ospreys converted try from prop, Paul James.
Ospreys scrum-half, Ricky Januarie, had a quiet enough game, having conceded a penalty in the first half to the Scarlets.
In the second half, the cracks started to appear again for the with the Ospreys prop, doing the damage with a second try to his name. The momentum swung to the visitors, and two more penalties to the Neath-Swansea boys took them well clear.
A last minute try for the Scarlets was only a consolation to make the scoreline respectable at 14-21. Welsh fans would have been pleased to see Lee Byrne returning from injury after two months, and hope he’ll recover his test form from last season.
At the RDS in Dublin, Leinster played one of the Irish Interprovincials against Ulster. After a stuttering start, both sides piled in with plenty of tackles going in hard and heavy. Ulster coach, Brian McLoughlin chose to rest a number of key players under the IRFU World Cup programme, and their absence showed.
Leinster weren’t in the same scoring form of previous weeks, but came away with four points with tries from Heaslip and Kearney and a penalty from out-half, Shaun Berne, leaving them 15-3 winners. Jonny Sexton was watching in the stands and knows he’ll have a fight on his hands to get his place back next week when he returns from injury.
In the second interprovincial, Munster also rested a number of key players against the Irish development province, Connacht. No matter. The Munster boys were on a roll and notched up four tries with relative ease over their western counterparts.
O’Gara continued his return to form with the skipper converting two of the tries and slotting two penalties. Paul Warwick had a fine match, contributing to a number of scores, and getting a try of his own catching his own chip kick to touchdown. Jean de Villiers also showed his devastating running to fine effect with the final try of the match to close it 35-3.
The weekend hammerings continued on Sunday afternoon with Leicester hosting Sale at Welford Road. The Tigers took a bonus point with tries from captain, Lewis Moody, Ben Kay, Johne Murphy, and Jordan Crane crossing in the last few minutes.
The bonus moved the Tigers up to 4th in the table and are on a strong roll with their 24 match unbeaten home run.
Two more England backs returned from injury and got some game time – Harry Ellis and Sam Vesty came on in the second half for Leicester. The England cupboard which was seemed quite bare a few weeks is slowly filling up again.
Bath played Gloucester at The Rec in a match that must have left most of those watching wondering why they’d given up their afternoon in front of the telly for this West Country derby.
Matt Banahan lumbered over for the final try of the match that gave a 21 point haul for Bath in the second half to run out easy winners 24-8. Nicky Little kept the Bath boys in front for most of the match kicking four penalties as well as a conversion.
Jimmy Gopperth was doing something similar for Newcasle in their derby with bottom of table Leeds Carnegie, kicking 5 penalties in the match. Except it wasn’t enough.
Leeds, facing relegation, managed to get their three penalty kicks, and a try from Alfie Too’ala early in the second half to see them out narrow 15-16 winners. Gopperth might have got the win at the very end, but unlike last season in the S14, he turned down a chance for a drop goal, and the resulting run, ended in nothing.
London Irish took on Premiership leaders Saracens and won a major battle in defeating Sarries for their first time this season 23-19 and two tries to one courtesy of Hala’ufia and Seveali’i.
With Sarries leading for most of the match, it was the looking like the leaders might open the gap even further on their second-placed rivals. With 10 minutes to go, Irish took the lead through Seveali’i, and kept their heads. Saracens remain at the top of the table, with Irish breathing down their necks in the New Year.
The Big Match of the weekend had Harlequins hosting London Wasps at Twickenham. As a marketing exercise, it couldn’t have been better over 76,000 turned up for the fixture.
After a somewhat drowsy first half that left the crowd somewhat muted, the heat got turned up in the second. Whilst Martin Johnson may have been pleased with the form of the some of his returning players, the performance of Danny Cipriani left a lot to be desired.
He missed a number of kicks that might have given his side a much clearer winning margin of 20-21. No doubt, match practice will help to remove a lot of his rustiness on show.
Early in the match, David Strettle gave away a simple try with a schoolboy attempt to cover a ball near his own line. It slipped from his grasp and Simpson grounded it for the first points of the match. Cipriani missed the relatively easy conversion.
Back came Quins and Nick Evans slotted two penalties to give them the lead. Another penalty came to Wasps, and this time Cipriani made no mistake to give his side the lead again 6-8. He missed the next one, and then got another to leave Wasps leading 6-11 at half-time.
He missed a further three penalties in the second half before being hauled ashore to be replaced by Walder, who promptly nailed the next penalty.
Quins weren’t finished yet. Danny Care gave the ‘home’ fans something to cheer about as he made one of his trademark bursts taking them near the Wasps line. After some sustained pressure, Care did an O’Driscoll and drove over the line from short-out to put the Quins (with Evans conversion) back in it at 13-14.
Wasps have plenty of grit and not inconsiderable grunt. The sprightly Simon Shaw took the charge back up the field, and after some pressure, John Hart went over to open the margin to 13-21 with the conversion.
David Strettle made amends for his first-half cock-up and scored a breakaway try to make it 20-21 for the last couple of minutes, but Wasps held out. The punters went home happy.
Two final matches in the Magners saw the Cardiff Blues thrash the Dragons in a second-half 39 point blitz to run out 42-13.
The all-Scottish derby between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh featured the league’s top two sides dishing it out to each other. It was a dour enough match at Firhill, with the Warriors Dan Parks kicking most of the points in their 25-12 victory.
His second penalty made him the first player to reach 1000 points in the Magners League. Vernon touched down in the second half for Glasgow putting the win beyond Edinburgh, and to leave the Warriors happy to finish 2009 as the league leaders for the second round in a row and a Happy Hogmanay to celebrate before the next round on New Year’s Day.
Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.
The Crowd Says (18) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
Do you have what it takes to become a sports writer? Write for the roar
Rugby Union articles
- Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide? (201)
- Will South African rugby force a Super 21 by 2018? (173)
- The real story of how John O’Neill turned Manchester City down (70)
- Dan Parks and the unsolved questions of expat rugby (65)
- Australian teams at Super disadvantage (58)
- Pocock set to be named new Force skipper (56)
- Can the ‘Tahs win the battle after losing the Waugh? (51)
- Wales show Southern Hemisphere how to play running rugby (29)
- What opening matches of Six Nations taught us (19)
- Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide? (201)
- Clinical Chiefs cost rusty Rebels in Corio (9)
- Six Nations shows rugby is a parochial game at heart (5)
- Goose’s Super Rugby up-and-comer XV for 2012 (29)
- What does the future hold for the Six Nations (50)
- Explore:
- Guinness Premiership, Magners League, Rugby Union
Ian Noble said | December 29th 2009 @ 2:36am | Report comment
As a marketing exercise the Big Game 2 @ Twickenham was a great success and Quins will make a significant profit, but as a Quins fans there was a lack of atmosphere. If you were to do a straw pole of real Quins fans the majority would prefer to have the game at the Stoop, smaller ground and more atmosphere. I suspect the squad would also prefer to play at the Stoop, but there is a need to grow the game and judging from the numbers of kids and family groups who turned up, probably for the many the first time at Twickenham, it was an occasion to remember. It is a pity that Quins did not turn up and as a rugby spectacle it was poor.
pothale said | December 29th 2009 @ 2:46am | Report comment
Well they turned up for the last ten minutes, Ian.
Ian Noble said | December 29th 2009 @ 2:51am | Report comment
Pity about the other 70 mins, Quins just didn’t play and they will need to improve and play in their style for 80 mins if they are to qualify for the Heineken Cup next season.
Wavell Wakefield said | December 30th 2009 @ 11:42pm | Report comment
Ian, have you seen much of James Johnston?
Ian Noble said | January 2nd 2010 @ 9:01pm | Report comment
James is Census’s brother who is now playing at Toulouse. He has been playing in the Quins A team, although he came on as a replacement in last night’s game v Sale. He is only 22 and Quins are taking their time but with his size and mobility he stands every chance of being very effective. Competition for prop positions is strong with Croall and Lambert being 23/24, with a fine prospect in Joe Marler coming through (currently in his second season in England’s U20′s), so he has every incentive to improve.
Wavell Wakefield said | January 4th 2010 @ 5:26am | Report comment
Thanks Ian. He’s younger than I thought. I’ve always thought that Quins could do with a ball-carrying front row, somebody in the manner of Stevens, Johnston or Castrogiovanni to support Care and Easter. Although currently I do think Quins could do with a real mean scrummager. IMO Ross has been missed badly. How is Andress coming along? Given his Irish history there was always the potential for him to be labelled the new Ross.
Ian Noble said | January 4th 2010 @ 10:46pm | Report comment
Quins do miss Ross, who was plucked out of Irish rugby by Richards. Andress who has joined from Exeter is beginning to gain confidence but there is a gap and whilst it will be a problem for the rest of the season, I am hopeful that the competition for prop position on both side of the front row will reap divedends next season. As we all know props tend to mature later than other positions as they have to appreciate the darker arts.
Twohander said | December 29th 2009 @ 8:05am | Report comment
I love the local derbies ! Should be more of them.
Bay35Pablo said | December 29th 2009 @ 3:34pm | Report comment
“The game finished 6-26 to the Saints” You mean they lost 6-26? Or it finished for the hosts 6-26 … ?
Good to hear the derbies fired up. They make sport an even greater spectacle.
Thanks for the article Pots.
Roger Rational said | December 29th 2009 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
St Stephen’s Day? Eh?
Pajovic said | January 7th 2010 @ 11:47pm | Report comment
Why am I not surprised. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Stephen%27s_Day
pothale said | December 30th 2009 @ 1:35am | Report comment
My error Bay35. Warriors are the hosts at Sixways. Bad typing on my part.
******
Whats wrong wirh Stephen’s Day, Roger?
Kevin,Meath said | December 30th 2009 @ 1:48am | Report comment
Ospreys and Wales fans will indeed be happy to see Lee byrne return but they will be a great deal more delighted to see Adam Jones play 50+ mins and look strong in the scrum. Wales and the Ospreys have missed him greatly and he has underlined why tightheads are the most sort after players.
St Stephens day is the origional ‘Holyday’ which gave people two whole days off in a row, sport started to be played on the second day of the holydays — there are two villages (forget their names) still play each other using the traditional rules. Boxing was very common at the celebration/gathering that followed.
Wavell Wakefield said | December 30th 2009 @ 1:50am | Report comment
Adam Jones – agreed. An excellent, excellent player.
pothale said | December 30th 2009 @ 1:53am | Report comment
Traditional rules of what sport, Kevin?
Boxing? Rugby?
Kevin,Meath said | December 31st 2009 @ 3:00am | Report comment
Remember watching a news report, there’s a ‘bucket’ in the centre of each village and you score a ‘goal’ by placing a large leather ball in it. The pitch- no limits, number of players ? how many you got! rules shall we say they are fluid although the police will tell everyone that the laws of assault still apply.
Don’t remember the names of the villages. So is it Rugby? best to say a form of football.
Siva Samoa said | December 30th 2009 @ 11:40am | Report comment
NORTHERN CLUBS SET TO JOIN THE BIG TIME
Harlequins and Wasps attracted 76,716 fans to Twickenham
Tuesday December 29,2009
By Neil Squires
PREMIERSHIP clubs hope to spread ‘The Big Game’ beyond London after the startling success of the Twickenham derby between Harlequins and Wasps.
A Premiership record crowd of 76,716 on Sunday underlined rugby union’s capacity to put on an occasion in the capital, one which Premier Rugby are keen for their provincial clubs to follow.
They have already held talks with several clubs, including Newcastle, whose owner Dave Thompson is eyeing up the possibility of a Geordie equivalent next season. Shifting a match to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park or Sunderland’s Stadium of Light might sound overly ambitious for the club with the lowest average attendance in the Premiership this season, but he feels rugby’s event culture could make it work.
“We have discussed the concept with Premier Rugby and we are hopefully working towards something,” said Thompson, whose club drew 8,766 – their biggest home crowd for 18 months – against Leeds on Sunday. “There are different conditions for rugby in the north compared to the south of England and it would be a bit different to Twickenham or Wembley, but I think we need to be looking at a 45,000 to 55,000-capacity stadium.”
“People might doubt our ability to fill it but Harlequins only average about 10,000 at The Stoop and they got 76,000 at Twickenham. We sold 35,000 tickets for the 2001 cup final at Twickenham when we beat Quins, so the demand for the big event is there. ”
Sale have also held preliminary talks with Premier Rugby over the feasibility of moving a match to one of the North-west’s plethora of Premier League football stadiums. Like the Falcons, they struggle to sell out their 10,000-capacity home but are being cajoled into some blue sky thinking which may end up being sky blue thinking if the marketing men get their way, with Manchester City’s stadium under consideration.
“We are keen to create as many big fixtures as we possibly can and we are looking to work them into the schedule for next season,” said Premier Rugby’s commercial director Jon Varney. “We are in talks with Sale and Newcastle . It is at the embryonic stage at the moment but there is a desire from those clubs to look at taking games to other venues. ”
English rugby union has hardly been overwhelmed with opportunities to pat itself on the back this season with a stodgy product and a misfiring national team, but packing out Twickenham for a game between two mid-table sides was a fantastic achievement.
One important factor was affordable ticket prices which started at £30 for a family of four – in stark contrast to the £83 some fans were paying at Twickenham for a single ticket to watch an autumn Test. “I feel we are pricing these occasions right. When you look at other rugby events, it does concern me the prices we are charging,” said Varney.
“We are incredibly lucky to have such a strong family sport and it was amazing just how many families were there for the Quins-Wasps game.”
http://www.express.co.uk/rugbyunion/view/148603/Northern-clu bs-set-to-join-the-big-time
Ian Noble said | January 2nd 2010 @ 9:18pm | Report comment
Siva
Rugby still is primarily a participation sport in England and the large crowd at Twickenham I would suggest was made up of many rugby players and their families, who had the once a year opportunity to go to Twickenham. The bonus was to see the number of kids who probably play mini rugby every weekend at the game. The excitement of being at Twickenham, when they have probably only seen it on the TV and the impression made is massive when selling the professional game to wider audience The real trick is to see how many follow on and come to the Stoop for the next match. Quins have already e-mailed season ticket holders with a special deal for tickets for the game. By the way the current average per game is 12,000 so they need to sell an addition 2500 tickets to fill the Stoop. So we shall see.
I still have reservations about the game at Twickenham, but judging from the response from bloggers on the Quins fan forum, it was popular with many and will probably become an annual fixture in the GP calendar.