SAINTS ALIVE

Leaders Exeter will be tough test but boss Boyd believes Northampton can still raise their game

NORTHAMPTON boss Chris Boyd reckons Saints are still on the naughty step but has backed them to make the end-of season play-offs.

The New Zealander joined from the Hurricanes at the start of the season and in his half-term report says Northampton are below the pass mark but can still make a noise this campaign.

They are eighth in the league but just three points off fourth-placed Wasps, in a crazy season with just eight points separating 12th and fourth. But Northampton will find out exactly where they are tonight when league leaders Exeter visit Franklin’s Gardens.

Taskmaster Boyd (below) said: “We’re close but no cigar. From where I hope we would be or where we would potentially be we would be about four out of 10.

“You don’t have to be Einstein to work out from fourth to 12th is tight for a whole bunch of reasons – it’s a genuine scrap.

“It’s so tight. There are a couple of teams with Exeter and Saracens that are clearly out there.

“You’re going to have times when you have two or three wins and go up and down. You will see swings and roundabouts but it’s tight. We’ve not played well enough in some games to get the results we wanted. We have to be better.” Exeter toppled Saracens last weekend at Sandy Park and there is clear daylight between that pair and Gloucester in third, but Boyd insists the two Premiership giants are not shoo-ins for the final. He added: “They’re very good. I’ve not experienced Exeter yet but they’re not top of the league by mistake. They’re a good side and play their own particular brand of rugby that they’re very good at. We have to find our own way of putting them off their game.”

“In Super Rugby, eight teams qualify for the quarterfinals,” said Boyd of multination club competition.

“In 2015 the Highlanders qualified in eighth and ended up winning it. Once you’re in the mix anything can happen.

“The bookies would give an Exeter-Saracens final pretty good odds but to say it is a foregone conclusion is disrespectful.”

Jamie Gibson returns for Northampton at flanker. James Haskell is still out