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'Grenoble away was the most violent game I have ever played in'
Former Scotland prop Mattie Stewart has named a November 1999 Heineken Cup defeat with Northampton away to Grenoble as the most violent rugby match he ever played. Away trips to France during the early years of the European Cup often became notorious for the foul play action that took place both on and off the pitch during an era where it was common for the visiting team to make a weekend of their trip and enjoy a night out following their match.
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Northampton were no different when they visited the Alpine city of Grenoble for a round two game 23 years ago, a wild pitstop that has now been remembered on Rugby Stories, the BT Sport podcast charting the colourful histories of the current Gallagher Premiership clubs.
Episode six in the 13-part series heard about how Northampton ended their 120-year wait for a major trophy, the Saints winning the 1999/2000 Heineken Cup by defeating Munster in the Twickenham final. However, their path to that decider was littered with multiple incidents – including a painful pool defeat in Grenoble.
Scotland tighthead Stewart joined Northampton in 1997 and the club’s first-ever season in the Heineken Cup two years later was not for the faint-hearted. The Saints opened their campaign with a home win over Neath before things got rather hairy in France.
“Grenoble away was the most violent game I have ever played in,” reckoned the now-49-year-old Stewart, who earned 34 Scotland caps and spent six years in the Northampton front row. “They weren’t too happy with what we were doing in the game and we weren’t happy with what they were doing.
How about this for a premonition? ?
This week on #RugbyStories, we hear how @SaintsRugby ended their 120-year wait for a major trophy.
Paul Grayson talks being dropped for the @ChampionsCup semi-final, before starring in the showpiece match.
Listen ? https://t.co/xMkvnN12Kz pic.twitter.com/tmYIN6detu
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) December 20, 2022
“They were blood spilt, shirts ripped and patience tested. As rugby experiences go, those early days of French rugby away would live up to brutal. Backs, forwards, the referee was just letting everything go and we were second best. From my memory, we lost it at the end. We had a bit of a battle with their No8 and I do remember meeting him at the nightclub that evening and all I can say is we were all running out of that nightclub at the end of the night with the bouncers chasing us with baseball bats.”
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It was November 27 in 1999 when Northampton lost out 20-18 away to Grenoble, but they were more than a match for the French side when the rematch took place 43 days later with a January 9 round five fixture at Franklin’s Gardens, a bruiser the Saints won 27-16 to help them top their pool en route to winning the trophy.
“We learned from the away game that we could compete with these guys at home,” continued Stewart. “We were very, very confident leading into the home game against Grenoble. If they weren’t up for it in that first scrum then we knew we got them.
“The first scrum went down on their ball and we literally pushed them off it, won the ball back, crowd went crazy and, to be fair, they weren’t in the game after that. The dominance up front against a French side, they won’t like that.”
- For the full Northampton Saints story on their 1999/2000 Heineken Cup triumph, check out BT Sport’s podcast series, Rugby Stories, part of the BT Sport Pods lineup of podcasts. Every Monday, Rugby Stories, presented by Craig Doyle, will spotlight and celebrate English club rugby history. Btsport.com/pods
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
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