Fans can actually look forward to games again as bandwagon rolls on
ALL the themes picked out pre-game pretty much came to pass at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Friday night. Northampton eventually succumbed to a well-organised opponent, Leicester handled international absentees better than the East Midlands rivals, and arguably the pivotal moment of the night came from new signing Chris Ashton.
Let’s start with Ashton. On the pitch for Freddie Burns undergoing a head injury assessment, he made two very decent carries and then pulled off a five-point tackle in the corner.
That five pointer doesn’t add to his quest for the Premiership all-time try scoring record, but it was worth five points all the same, just when the Saints were just threatening to make an unlikely comeback in a game dominated by Leicester.
His yellow card at the end of the match will simply help to win over the Leicester fans! From his demeanour around the pitch Ashton appears to be happier than I have ever seen him. Around the pitch one could be forgiven for asking, “what missing England internationals?” Freddie Burns controlled the game as Freddie Burns, not trying to be George Ford, and was deservedly man of the match. Elsewhere Dan Cole, even in a game cut short by (hopefully precautionary) early withdrawal, is so good that his performances barely get a mention – it’s simply expected.
Harry Wells likewise is often the glue that holds Leicester together, not flashy but doing the hidden work that allows others to shine. Like his predecessor, Louis Deacon, if you want to know if someone understands rugby, ask what they think of Harry Wells.
Stuart Whitcombe continues to impress in the tight and the loose. His awareness of the offside laws and the subsequent silky offload to Burns were a particular highlight.
Not that it’s a problem for Leicester fans, but Northampton look like a team that will sometimes win spectacularly, but whose style demands skill levels that are surely unobtainable on a sustained basis.
Three spectacular tries, but far too much ball given up in search of miracles sums up Chris Boyd’s tenure and the first home and away double for Leicester over Northampton for five years tells its own story. A fixture list coming up featuring teams with power and pragmatism suggests that a slide down the table will follow.
Meanwhile, the Leicester bandwagon rolls on. The club is now very close to securing a play-off place with barely half the season gone.
Bath at the Recreation Ground next – we can actually look forward to games again and Borthwick’s stated aim of providing a team that fans can be proud of has already been achieved!