Latest
Overview
Season so far
Tournament record
Tom Wood has warned his Northampton Saints team-mates they can't afford a slow start in the European Rugby Champions Cup. - 16/10/2014 16:44
Tom Wood has warned his Northampton Saints team-mates they can’t afford a slow start in the European Rugby Champions Cup.
The Saints, last season’s Challenge Cup winners, begin their Champions Cup campaign with a daunting trip to Racing Metro on Saturday.
Back-row Wood said: “Over the last couple of years we’ve started pretty slowly in Europe and have had a few hiccups. I’m thinking Leinster, Ulster at home. Even Scarlets a year before that.
“We need to recognise the differences between Premiership and European matches. We have to adjust to the refereeing – which has certainly been different in recent years – and address the breakdown, because we’ve maybe been caught cold there a couple of times.”
The last time Saints progressed out of the pool stages in Europe’s premier cup competition they went all the way to the final in Cardiff in 2011.
But Wood knows they will need to be at their best to get past the side currently in 7th in the Top 14.
He added: “We’ve done some analysis on them but it’s been fairly broad. They’ve got so many options, but what we do know is that whoever they pick, a French side on home soil is a real challenge.
“We know we’re in for a tough start but we’re pretty happy with where we are at the moment. We also know really pull it together, that we can be a real challenge for anybody.”
Racing Metro have named Wales internationals Jamie Roberts (dead leg) and Luke Charteris (foot) in their 28-man squad for the pool 5 clash after both recovered from the injuries which have kept them out in recent weeks.
Match Facts
- Racing Métro 92 have won just one of their last eight Heineken Cup games (D1 L6).
- Northampton Saints have not made it out of the pool stage of the competition since they reached the final in 2010/11.
- Northampton Saints averaged the most lineout wins (14.8) in the Heineken Cup last season.
- Racing Métro 92 made less carries than any other side last season, averaging just 68.2 per game.
- No player stole more lineouts in the tournament last season than Courtney Lawes (7).
- Racing Métro 92 have never finished higher than third in the pool stages of the Heineken Cup in their four appearances in the competition – they finished third in 2010/11 and 2012/13.
- In their Heineken Cup history, Racing Métro 92 have played twice as many games against English opposition than any other country, winning two and losing six of their eight games against teams from England.
- Racing Métro hold the unwanted record of the most points scored in a Heineken Cup game without winning, which they achieved in a narrow 47-48 loss at home to Edinburgh in 2011/12.
- Northampton Saints are just three tries away from scoring their 200th try in this competition.
- Stephen Myler is just 20 points away from equalling Paul Grayson’s all time points record for Northampton Saints in this competition.
Grâce à une défense de fer et une belle efficacité offensive
Northampton Saints were left empty-handed in Paris after a roller-coaster final two minutes against Racing-Metro.
Saints looked to have snatched a draw just four minutes from time when Phil Dowson touched down in the corner.
But Steven Myler sliced his conversion from close to the touchline before Ben Fodden’s kick was blocked by Marc Andreau who ran it back for a dramatic try just 40 seconds from time.
Johannes Goosen then added the conversion with the final kick of the game to even deny Saints the consolation of a losing bonus point.
Jim Mallinder’s frustration will have been deepened by the fact Saints failed to capitalise on two yellow cards for Racing during the second half, particularly when George Pisi fumbled the ball five yards from the try line.
Jonathan Sexton kicked two penalties, a conversion and had a hand in Racing’s opening try to get their European campaign off to a perfect start.
Sexton pinned Saints back deep in their own half with a well-struck kick to the corner. Saints lost the line-out and having shifted the ball out wide centre Alexandre Dumoulin was bundled over for the French.
Stephen Myler responded for Saints though a second Sexton penalty three minutes before half-time regained Racing’s seven-point lead at half-time.
Saints started well at the beginning of the second period and Myler again reduced the deficit with a penalty. The visitors had a fortunate escape when Salesi Ma'afu was only penalised and not carded for a heavy challenge Juandre Kruger at the edge of a ruck. Sexton then stepped up and missed the resulting penalty.
Referee George Clancy’s patience finally ran out at the scrum and Julien Brugnaut was sent to the bin.
However Northampton failed to capitalise when Pisi intercepted and raced clear only to drop the ball before damaging his hamstring in his attempts to recover.
A second Sexton penalty looked to have secured the win for Racing until Brian Mujati was shown a yellow card six minutes from time. Saints took full advantage to send replacement Dowson over in the corner for a try that could secured a late comeback.
But when Myler, one of the most reliable kickers in the Aviva Premiership, missed the conversion and Racing smothered their attempts to run wide from deep in their own territory and Andreu profited with Goosen adding the conversion.
LIVE - TEST - Commentary