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It's now 13 defeats in a row for Northampton, but Chris Boyd hasn't lost all hope yet
Northampton boss Chris Boyd isn’t too concerned his team felt to a 13th consecutive defeat on Saturday, this time losing to Leinster in the Champions Cup on a 35-19 scoreline in Dublin. Not since an August 22 away win at London Irish in the Premiership have Northampton tasted victory under Boyd.
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Their 2019/20 run after that success at Irish was seven league losses and another in Europe and that form has carried over into 2020/21, Saints losing their opening three games prop up their Premiership while their hopes of a good run in Europe are over after back-to-back defeats in recent weekends.
Boyd, though, doesn’t feel their latest defeat will have a negative impact when they try to pick up the pieces with their Boxing Day Premiership game at home to Worcester.
“I don’t believe that the two [Europe and the league] are linked,” he said. “If we came and got pasted by 60-0 and played really poorly then it might have had an impact but we have got probably half a dozen guys to come back into the team. Worcester coming to us is a very important match from a league point of view.”
Training 14-0 early on in Dublin, Northampton seemed set to get heavily beaten. However, the rallied with tries from Fraser Dingwall, Tom James and Nick Isiekwe and Leinster were left relying on last-quarter penalty kicks to see out the win.
Game on? ?@SaintsRugby dive through a gap in @leinsterrugby's defence to get back in it ?#HeinekenChampionsCup https://t.co/E4g1ewHNBg
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 19, 2020
“We made some defensive lapses but generally the intent was good. It probably didn’t show on the TV, and you certainly wouldn’t have picked it up on the radio, but it was quite windy. It actually was quite difficult to play.
“We haven’t lacked intent all year. We tried really hard, The attitude of the players wasn’t missing. We have just been inaccurate for periods of time. Our challenge is to be more consistent. We know we have the capability but we just drop off consistently and it cost us.”
- Watch the Heineken Champions Cup on BT Sport. Click here to buy now
The Northampton flanker was the focus of a TMO foul play review at Leinster#HeinekenChampionsCup #LEIvNOR
https://t.co/QChs35PUkx— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 19, 2020
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Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
39 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
39 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
50 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
39 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
39 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
39 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
39 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
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