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'You would question whether the draw was properly worked out'
Chris Boyd has revealed that Northampton captain Lewis Ludlam could be available for the key Gallagher Premiership clash against Newcastle on Saturday after missing England’s recent training camp due to injury. Ludlam withdrew from the three-day gathering because of a thumb problem suffered in Saints’ 42-38 defeat at Saracens ten days ago.
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Victory for Northampton over the Falcons at Franklin’s Gardens would guarantee a play-off place ahead of Gloucester, their solitary rival for fourth spot. Leicester, Saracens and reigning Premiership champions Harlequins are already through to the June 11 semi-finals, with one position still to be claimed.
“I don’t think anybody has ruled themselves in or out yet,” Northampton rugby director Boyd said. “Lewis has got through a bit of training and he could well come into consideration. We are not certain yet.”
Ludlam’s consistently outstanding form has been a major driver for Saints this term and they arrive at the regular season’s final day in control of their own destiny. Boyd added: “I think eight weeks ago we were sitting eighth, and we need to make sure we keep the momentum going.
“It has been a very unusual situation in that we have only played one game in a month. We are not the only side to do that. You would question whether the draw was properly worked out with so many sides getting such little rugby at this time of year. We have tried to cobble together the best programme we can to keep ourselves sharp.
“If we can secure a victory, we get ourselves a place in the play-offs. If we don’t, then we probably won’t. We have been playing knockout football for the last five games, really, and we are still alive. We have had a pretty good couple of months.”
Although Newcastle are seven places and 37 points behind Northampton, with nothing to play for on Saturday, Boyd anticipates a tough encounter in what will be Dean Richards’ final game as Falcons’ rugby director. “He [Richards] has had a great run in the Premiership over a long period of time,” Boyd said.
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“He has been a great servant of English rugby as a player and a coach. He is a good man. They have an abrasive pack with a lot of runners in the back-line. They have got some dangerous backs, and we are certainly not going to take them lightly because we haven’t had a great track record against them.”
Boyd will head home to New Zealand whenever Saints’ season finishes, bringing down the curtain on a successful four-year reign. “It’s trying to stay in the moment, really,” he added. “The important thing is that we get our preparation right. I have loved my time here and just want to try and finish it the right way.”
Comments on RugbyPass
well the favourites dont always win and let scott robertson chose his number 8
3 Go to commentsthats great for cam miller and the highlanders the crusaders have got problems within there systems that were proberly covered up astheywere winning when scott robertson was in charge
2 Go to commentsThe last time Plumtree coached the sharks they sucked the same when with the hurricanes now back with the shark Springboro. They still have no game plan
1 Go to commentsan impressive nail biting win for the Blues...but for mine the losing of the game sits with Isaia Walker-Leawere who fumbled balls from kick offs, broken play and then stripped of the ball by Sam Nock in the final minute…
3 Go to commentsAll of the Moderna law changes have been to slow the game down, playing into the hands of SA and the north. Incentivising boring, negative rugby. Brilliant changes. Speed up the game.
11 Go to commentsImagine you kick to the lineout, they give away a free kick, you have a great chance at a scrum, sorry sir you have to tap and go. Ridiculous
11 Go to commentsWhile I believe that the Crusaders do not deserve a spot in the playoffs, every single team would be worried to play them no matter where on the table they are. For example, they have the potential to knock out the Blues at Eden Park. They are the Springboks in Super Rugby in that they know exactly how to play knockout footy and have the pedigree and experience to do it. Something is just not quite right with that team this year. Fakatava is prone to to the odd brain explosion and can kick away good ball in bad positions. His work around the ruck and breakdown is a standout. Is he better than Finlay Christie? I’m not sure. TJ Perenara and Cortez Ratima should get two of the spots in the ABs squad. Aumua has so much potential but the midfield is quite well stocked with Jordie, ALB, Tupaea, and Ioane as well as Billy Proctor who is in top form. Aumua would be battling a spot with Tupaea and Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy do some Bok fans get so defensive when people have opinions on how the game should be played? Is it really necessary to take it as a personal attack on SA every time?
11 Go to commentsMost crazy rule is when attacking player has to release but defender does not. Stop the defender doing that by saying hands off. That way fender would not kill the ball. Madness and crazy
80 Go to commentsMinicamp rules include no-pads and no tackling.
1 Go to commentsToulouse has enough quality players so no headaches 😁 Choco is rarely a starting centre. Throughout this championship there have been far worse actions that were never called… too many rules, too many rule changes, too many inconsistencies, too many angry fans. I'm not surprised rugby does not attract new spectators, how could they understand 🤣
6 Go to commentsAh yes Andy with his “Goode” views. Oke might as well come out and say it, “I like seeing South African scrums depowered in order to give the rest of the world a chance”. Somehow he thinks World Rugby always knew about calling scrums from marks and it just so happened to coincide with Damien Willemse’s call that they decided to change the rules. Ah come on, if he can't see it then he needs prescription glasses. No ways, they are doing this for the betterment of Rugby. They want to clamp down on Rassie’s innovative skills than encouraging coaches to think outside of the box to try new things. What they can't count on is what Rassie will plan next. I almost get the impression that once Rassie retires World Rugby is going to be scrabbling around trying to find their identity. Currently set at ARP (Anti-Rassie Party). Although I don't really care in that regard because they always a RWC step behind.
11 Go to commentsWow ten years since they had a backing and more from the paying public I’d also mention that as a blues man and in walking distance to the garden I’d say that this team and Vern Cotter have got us dreaming beautiful thoughts and the merit is there from numbers 1 to 23 but we would like to think this is the new dna for the ABs and a pack weighing 940kg dry y not I hasten to add it seems patty has to stay fit cause he is the driver the main driver and they follow plus the pipe man H Plummer is conducting his own orchestra ….. Beethoven anybody
1 Go to commentsJuicy stuff well covered I’d go as far as to say that the referee was a key component in keeping it a tasty spectacle
3 Go to commentsCotter has added that steel that has been missing. Let's see if it will carry until the Finals… Come on the Blues ….
2 Go to commentsAndy Goode just loves to be controversial. Its boring. Let’s all stop reading.
11 Go to commentsYou have got to consider that if the situation was flipped and the French were held to a salary cap with no English equivalent, the English would laugh in their faces and tell them to get over it. As for Leinster (as a fan), the central contract system is a dream but is guilty of cutting out the other 3 provinces. At the end of the day, it comes across outside of the English border that the Premiership is drowning and trying to take everyone else with it rather than adapt. The English lose, the English want new rules. We've seen this repeat (and once it even led to the current Champions Cup) You make many good and informed points, but if the flip was on the other flop, it wouldn't be Rugby’s problem I suspect - it would be a French one.
18 Go to commentsSeems to have been a bright start but it tailed off. To win the big matches you have to get used to putting your foot on the throttle and your opponent’s necks in an 80 minutes performance which is what the All Blacks were renowned for. An example in the Women’s game is England v Ireland in the 6N match played at Twickenham in April. Watch on YouTube.
1 Go to commentsBobby has been a first grade bonehead since high school. Like a true Cape Tonian, his own reflection is more important than anything else.
1 Go to commentsNo comment on the textbook red card for Ramm that was just ignored? Amazing that
4 Go to comments