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Bristol Rugby v Northampton Saints

B

Bullitt

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Two sides that have been in dire recent form face off at the Memorial Stadium desperate for a win for very different reasons. A recent string of losses has seen injury ridden Bristol slip from the top of the table so they now find themselves looking over their shoulders to worry about their playoff place while the Saints are desperate for their premiership survival. Expect a tight, firey game which will also see Andrew Blowers face off against his old side where h's still highly regarded.

All discussion in here.
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Bristol: B Stortoni; D Lemi, N Brew, R Higgitt, C Morgan; D Gray, S Perry; D Hilton, M Regan, D Crompton, R Winters, G Llewellyn, A To'oala, J El Abd, A Blowers. Reps: S Linklater, A Clarke, N Budgett, R Pennycook, G Nicholls, J Strange, J Taumalolo.

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/ViewArti...p;SectionID=256

The big names have to deliver!

TH1_233200748saints.jpg

By Ashely Potter SKIPPER Bruce Reihana says the relegation-haunted Saints' big names have to deliver when they take on Bristol on Sunday. It is the biggest of must-win clashes for Saints as the trip to the Memorial Stadium is their game in hand over Worcester, who they sit one point behind at the bottom of the Guinness Premiership.
Reihana says there is no way Saints want to leave the Premiership survival until the last game of the season as they did two years ago and feels the experienced players like himself have to lead from the front at Bristol.
"Every week the so-called big name players have to step up no matter what position we are in, we've got to deliver," said Reihana.
"It is a must-win game for us, but so is every game. There are no excuses, we know where we are and we've got to climb out of it. We don't want to leave it until the end for the last game of the season, that's happened before and we certainly don't want to go through that again."
Meanwhile, Saints look set to continue their rebuilding for next season with the signing of South African Johann van Niekerk. The back-row forward was spotted being shown around Franklin's Gardens after the draw with Sale on Saturday.
In 2002 Niekerk was South Africa's Player of the Year as well as being voted as one of IRB's five players of the year. He has won 46 caps for his country and can play at flanker or at No. 8.
Also, Saints have added Christian Labit to their Heineken Cup squad along with Seamus Mallon and prop John Brooks. Labit won the Heineken Cup twice in eight years at Toulouse.
And Rhodri Davies has completed his long awaited move to Newport Gwent Dragons after being released by Saints this season.[/b]
 
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS TO FACE BRISTOL
GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP Round 13 (postponed match); Memorial Stadium; Sunday, March 25, 2007
15 Bruce Reihana (capt)
14 Sean Lamont
13 Carlos Spencer
12 Robbie Kydd
11 Ben Cohen
10 Stephen Myler
9 Mark Robinson
1 Tom Smith
2 Dylan Hartley
3 John Brooks
4 Damien Browne
5 Christian Short
6 Paul Tupai
7 Darren Fox
8 Christian Labit

Replacements
16 Matias Cortese
17 Soane Tonga’uhia
18 David Gerard
19 Ben Lewitt
20 Mark Hopley
21 Johnny Howard
22 Vaughan Going
 
Really looking forward to this one, should be a proper scrap.
Sorry, but ill be supporting Brizzellll. There not my team really, but until Cornish Pirates make it up there ill have to keep on supporting all the westcountry sides :D At the minutwe i follow Bristol, Bath and Glos.
I hope your boys dont go down, but if you do TEH MITE you can have a day out on the beer in Cornwall with me when you come down to the Pirates, so its not so bad :)
 
That'll be one bonus I guess if we do drop; New grounds to visit! (or in the case of London Welsh, a muddy field! :lol: )
 
So, the rugby gods are indeed against us.

Farewell Guinness Premiership, maybe one day (on 2 years or more) we'll meet again.
 
It ain't over until the fat lady sings!

But, somehow, Worcester are going to survive!
 
It ain't over yet. Worcester have the tougher games. If you guys get a losing BP or even a win against Newcastle it could be a very different relegation battle come the 2nd weekend of April!
 
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