It is less than four weeks since Northampton’s Calum Clark was suspended for 32 weeks for breaking the elbow of Leicester’s Rob Hawkins. Clark deliberately hyper extended Hawkins’ arm to cause what Richard Cockerill described as “as bad an injury as I have seen on a rugby field”.
Cockerill’s opposite number, Jim Mallinder has admitted he is finding it hard to put the incident and the fallout from it behind him as he prepares to face the Tigers again this weekend. In particular Mallinder has been critical of Cockerill’s outburst, which is seemingly the polar opposite of Mallinder’s reaction to another controversial incident in last year’s Premiership final when Manu Tuilagi was banned for five weeks for punching Chris Ashton. Mallinder’s reaction was far more controlled than Cockerill’s.
Aside from the Clark incident, Cockerill was also involved in a confrontation with Saints’ forwards coach, Dorian West after the game. The West Midlands derby clashes between the two sides have become ever more fiery in recent years and this weekend’s promises to be equally so with both sides in contention for play off places in the final weeks of the season.
With Saints, Mallinder and Clark all adamant that there was no intent to injury in the elbow breaking incident there is bound to be some friction when the two sides meet again this weekend. In spite of the insistence from Clark at the hearing into his misconduct the panel still found him guilty and handed a hefty ban which will see Clark banned from Rugby until November 2.
Clark will be missed in the Saints run in and Mallinder whilst disappointed is hoping his side can respond in the remainder of the season and secure a play off place starting with a result against the Tigers this weekend. He is keen that this tie will be played at the same intensity as recent clashes without the controversy that has marred the side’s recent games.
Tags: 070511, 3124, Aviva, Carnegie, Highlights, Leeds, Northampton, Premiership, Round, Rugby, Saints
Northampton Rugby | admin | 
May 9, 2012 10:22 pm | 
Comments (7)
Aviva Premiership side the Northampton Saints have always been known as a side that invests in youth and that was once again proved when Jim Mallinder signed youngster Tom Stephenson for the senior academy of the club, dubbing him as a player for the future. The Saints have also confirmed on their website that New Zealand winger Teimana Harrison, who recently came off the bench for the club against the London Wasps for his first game for The Saints as well as Jack Allcock, another winger, will also join the senior academy of the club at the start of the next season.
The 17 year old Stephenson was with the Wanderers last season and he was a mainstay of the club’s reserve side. He is being considered as a future captain of the Scotland rugby team and is currently captaining the country’s Under – 18 side and has shown immense maturity and strength that will fool anyone about his age.
According to Mallinder, the boss of the Northampton Saints, Tom Stephenson has been a standout performer for his Wanderers side as well as the England national team in the Under – 18 division and it was his outstanding performances that make him one of the best performances and a signing for the future for The Saints. Mallinder also added that in his very short stint with the senior academy of the club, he has impressed the coaches immensely who are already pinning their hopes on the youngster as a potential superstar to lead the club to the top in a few years’ time.
The Northampton Saints are considered as a club with immense potential and it is only a matter of time that they translate that potential to trophies and it with Stephenson on board, the future looks all the more bright for the side.
At 18-8 down in the first half, away from home and being outclassed by London Irish it seemed unlikely Northampton would be celebrating at full time. But after a change of style and a spectacular comeback that is just what happened.
The Saints were failing to exert superiority in the pack and were being run ragged by Irish’s backs. The flawless performance from the Exiles meant that late in the second half, at 18-8 down things were looking bleak for the Saints. A mistake from the Irish scrum half, Ross Samson though allowed them to see a glimmer of hope. A mistimed kick when Samson thought time was up allowed Northampton to gain possession and eventually gain a kickable penalty which Stephen Myler slotted home to keep any slight chances of a turnaround alive.
Saints came out for the second half with a degree of belief and began to keep hold of the ball. Possession proved to be important and the turnaround began. At seven points down the next score was important and a missed dropped goal from Irish allowed Saints to close the gap further and along with a clever flat pass from Myler to set up a third try of the day for Saints and give them a 23-18 lead.
Irish drew level through a try in the corner and when the conversion was missed the 23-23 scoreline ensured a tense finish. Saints secured a well earned victory with a charge down on a kick in the Irish 22 allowing Ben Nutley to latch onto the loose ball and secure victory with his first try for Northampton.
Whatever was said at half time clearly made an impact and Stephen Myler confirmed as much after the game. He accepted that things had not gone as they had expected in the first half and a change of approach in the second allowed Saints to run out with victory and a try scoring bonus point.