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Chris Boyd's blunt verdict on Northampton's underwhelming 2020
Chris Boyd is relieved to see the back of 2020 on a winning note following a horrible calendar year results wise in charge of Northampton. Last Saturday’s 29-10 Premiership win over Worcester was Saints’ first in 14 league and cup matches stretching back to an August 22 victory at London Irish.
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It was also just their sixth win in 24 Premiership and Champions Cup games in the past twelve months, a disappointing run of form he is by no means convinced is now past tense on the back of last weekend’s success which finally put an end to an agonising winless run.
Speaking ahead of next Sunday’s visit to London Irish, a fellow rival who are also on seven points following a disappointing start to the 2020/21 Premiership, Boyd said: “There was a relief that we got the five points.
“There was an acknowledgement by all that there we some things that we can measure and control had got better and have continued to get better and they contributed to the result, but there were some parts we have still got to be better on.
“From an outcome point of view, really pleased to get five points. From a performance point of view, we know there is a lot left in the tank.
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“One win doesn’t give you the right to do anything… pleased to have won but when we win three or four games we might start thinking we are on the right track. We are a long way short of that now.”
Reflecting on 2020, a year that is ending with Northampton reporting a first positive test result for Covid for a decent length of time, Boyd added: “The biggest story in town has been the Covid and it has been very difficult, financially very difficult, emotionally very difficult, from a team point of view, from a whole society really.
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“Northampton Saints losing a few games on the trot pales into insignificance compared to what is happening around the world with the pandemic. That is the biggest news story. But we’re still very disappointed with 2020.
“There won’t be much going on anybody’s highlights reel but the nice thing for me is we got through it safely. We have got a good group of men and we’re intact, we’re well connected and we’re determined to be significantly better in 2021.
“We have nailed our cloth to the mast. This group is contracted to Saints for the long term, for the majority of them, so we’re not going anywhere other than trying to get better as a group.”
Switching to the current situation in the camp ahead of the trip to Irish, Boyd added: “We actually had our first positive test for a significant number of weeks that came back today [Tuesday] and that was from an external source that has been identified, from a sibling of one of the boys.
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“The boys have been really vigilant, the club has been really vigilant. I know you can’t control things often when these things happen and it’s like general society, you let your guard down in one situation and you’re in trouble. We’re not saying other people haven’t been very good about it but so far we have been pretty decent.”
The latest annual @EsportifIntel comparison of rugby player salaries by position in England, France and PRO14 is out #GallagherPrem #GuinnessPRO14 #Top14
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 29, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
I still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
1 Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
2 Go to commentsThere is some talent coming thru thats for sure. The 10 looks special to me. Rico Simpson is a name to look for in the future.
1 Go to commentsI think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
27 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
27 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
27 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
27 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
27 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
27 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
91 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
27 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
27 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
27 Go to commentsHi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
91 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
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