IT’S INDICATIVE OF Northampton’s inexperience at the highest level of European competition that only when it felt like they no longer had anything to lose did they threaten to beat Leinster.
For an hour, their basic skills deserted them in the face of outstanding Leinster defence. But in the final quarter, having been handed a lifeline by way of George Hendy’s opportune try, Northampton went for broke and their electrifying attack sparked into life.
In the end, the Premiership-leading Saints — several of their players competing in their first game of this magnitude — departed Croke Park with a bittersweet understanding that they could have won Saturday’s Champions Cup semi-final but that the nature of their defeat will stand them in good stead for future knockout games, wherever they may occur.
And rarely if ever again will their opposition be imbued by 80-odd-thousand fans, whose joyous atmosphere was so nearly punctured by a stirring Northampton fightback.
Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson described himself as “incredibly proud” of his players as the dust began to settle on Croke Park.
“We spoke a lot this week around wanting to play against the best sides and find out where we are. We also want to play in the best stadiums. This is a historic venue. We were excited about the opportunity to play in front of 82,000.
“Not everything went right but we said we wanted to be relentless and trust what we’ve done all season. There’s clearly some frustration that we didn’t play particularly well in the first half, we couldn’t get our game going.
“The effort the lads put in to give ourselves an opportunity towards the end of the game I thought was outstanding.
“Leinster are a very good side and they had a couple of weeks to really get into ‘Northampton,’” Dowson added, referring to Leinster’s decision to send a second-string squad to South Africa in the URC while the Saints continued at full tilt in their domestic league.
“Some of these players in our group like Courtney (Lawes) and ‘Furbs’ (George Furbank), now, have been on the international scene and played a lot of international rugby in these environments. Someone like George Hendy, who was playing for Bedford last year, hasn’t.
“There’s a mix of experience in there which would have had an impact, undoubtedly. Was that the difference? I’m not sure.”
While Dowson praised Leinster’s ability to slow Northampton’s ball at the breakdown, fullback George Furbank was complimentary of the Blues’ defence.
The England international equally lamented his side’s inability to cope with opposition qualities for which they had prepared in advance, particularly during a first half in which Saints scarcely retained the ball for long enough to fire a shot.
“They’re obviously a quite aggressive ‘D’ so it’s tough to get the ball in the wide channels and when you do get it in there, they’re pretty aggressive in that wide breakdown and look to spoil that,” Furbank said.
“There’s an element of frustration there because we knew that was going to come. We knew we had to play through them and in the first half, we didn’t look after the ball well enough and probably tried to force things that weren’t really there to start off with.
“I think we calmed down after the first 20 minutes and created enough opportunities to score more points than we did.”
Explaining how Northampton eventually gained a foothold in the game, and why they had enough belief to threaten an almighty comeback at the death, Furbank said: “We’ve had plenty of experience of that throughout the season. You look back at Munster, Exeter: those two games, we had to come from a deficit.
“Once we scored that [George Hendy] try in the corner, we definitely felt like we’d given ourselves a really good shot.
“It was all quite calm messages to be honest: we spoke about getting back in their half and putting the pressure back on them.
They sort of shut up shop with 20 minutes to go and gave us a lot of kicks so it was about securing that and putting our game on the field.
“To be honest, I thought we were going to score down that left edge (in Northampton’s final attack). “We probably had the wrong people out there to score. We came close and put ourselves in a situation where we could have — and potentially should have — won that game.”
Former England international Courtney Lawes, who will leave Saints to join Brive in France’s Pro D2 next season, said: “I never felt like we were out of the game to be honest.
“In the second half, when they scored that early try, that was one of the points where we had to find ourselves as a team.
“I thought we did that. It’s credit to the players that we can have something like that happen and find a way to get back on the horse and go back at them. To do that as a team is very good for going forward.
“The disappointing thing is we didn’t really test them,” added Lawes, who produced another outstanding individual display. “We didn’t really put our game out there how we wanted to, we dropped a lot of ball, gave away a lot of penalties.
“You can’t win at the highest level if you’re doing that kind of stuff.”
Great player, did very little wrong this year.
An absolute gentleman , hed walk onto the dubs starting team.
Great to see such an honest insight. Firstly in regard to Dublin and Mayo’s desire to win at all costs and his honesty about what happened Kerry so soon after losing to mayo. Kerry only blame themselves when they are found wanting. Same in 2011. No blame to Billy John Keane or cluxton eating up the clock. The attitude was they should have had us beaten out the gate before Kev mcs goal
@Bill Clay: well they kinda have to be honest because the cat is out of the bag. Kerry having the highest number of black cards received of the top teams shows the cynicism that is there.
It’s sad all the same.
@Peter McGlynn: can you back that stat Peter regarding black cards? I suspect not.
@Peter McGlynn:
It’s very sad Peter altogether. Only four minor All Ireland’s in four years. Awful sad.
@Peter McGlynn: Whats even sadder is the state of Donegal football.
@NeilGoochFerriter: here you are boy
http://m.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/25-in-four-years-kerry-are-the-market-leaders-when-it-comes-to-league-black-cards-35634272.html
@Bill Clay: who is billy john Keane you stupid preck
P Geaney is about the only kerry player that would make the Dublin squad at the moment.
@John Carroll: I’d say a few of them would make the squad in fairness but he’s about the only one who’d start.
@Conor O’Riordan: O Donoghue, Donaghy and David Moran would be close to. Kerry aren’t far away and are always capable of beating any team.
Kerry will win an all Ireland in the next 3 years… and I’m a dubs fan!
@Sean O Draighneain: donaghy? Really
@Ollie Watson: I think so. He’s a better version of o gara and a big game player. hate seeing him on the Kerry team when they play Dublin.
@Sean O Draighneain: Paul Murphy would get into the squad too in my opinion. The most underrated player in the country. And I hope you’re right!
@John Carroll:
Star would walk on.
@Ollie Watson:
Without question. Lion led by donkeys.
@Con Murphy:Dont think so Ted !!!
Interesting article perhaps the gaa will run this for their next ad campaign waxing lyrical about the values and principles of this great organisation.
It’s a pity this attitude to sport is gaining popularity .
Rules are there to ensure fair play so that the team which wins does so because they are the best at the sport.
If your going to play that way ..fine ..but spare me the hypocrisy of claiming to be a noble sports hero .. if that’s sport put it in your next ad ..let the kids see what their hero’s are prepared to do to win..I think it’s wrong and diminishes the game and the winning.
A truly great Dublin team is on the cusp of true greatness – 4 in a row. Mayo have had more chances than most teams could dream of, unfortunately, they haven’t got what it takes.
Paul, the Kerry brains trust must prevent this calamity and rise from the ashes. Only one team can stop then now.
@Etherman:
Little chance with current management. Another wasted year ahead unfortunately.
Paul like the rest of Kerry are hoping to bring this Dublin run to an end. When Kerry beat Dublin in this years league final most of the pundits said it was a dress rehearsal for this years All Ireland how wrong they were. In this decade so far Dublin have beaten Kerry four times in the All Ireland,two finals and two semifinals, not even the great Kerry team of the 70′s managed to beat Dublin four times in that decade and they had the opportunity to do so had they won in 76 or 77. I hope Dublin go on and win four in a row and go down as one of the greatest teams to play the game if they are not already there.
Lets all hope Mayo finally win it next year or someone like kildare ,Galway, Roscommon, Monaghan, or Cavan maybe could manage to step up instead of Paul and and his feel sorry for me and kerry story, with their thirthy seven All-Irelands.Surely its the very last thing Football needs right now is another domination story begining in twenthy eighteen,you wont get much sympathy for that Paul.
@John Carroll: You need a woman John
@John Carroll:
There’s no feel sorry for me from Paul you would need to read what he wrote again.
Its not the Kerry way which has resulted in a record number of all Irelands. I was glad Dublin won against Mayo as I am sick of all the hard done by nonsense from Mayo. If you want to win it go out and do it. Paul isn’t looking for the sympathy that Mayo seem to thrive on and still win nothing. Mayo have turned losing all Irelands into an art form which is no good for their supporters. Best losers in Ireland, sad.
@Con Murphy: doesn’t say much for Kerry con. They were miles behind Mayo this year – in truth they could have lost by 12 points and there’s only about 3 Kerry players who’d make the Mayo team currently.
@Con Murphy :”Not the Kerry way” ah will you get off thd dung heap you clown.
@Summer bay Devil:Ask your sister :-):-)
Great article
Very honest alright but I would worry about sportsmanship in the game today. There is too much off the ball stuff going on. A second referee would need to be on the pitch to try and stop this. Linesmen and umpires have no authority to do anything about this, and it is becoming a blight on the game.
Kill or be killed what a statement to use in any sport
@Alan Scott: At this level it is all about winning and that won’t change. You would worry about sportsmanship in the game though. I would also be worried about young kids and underage players adopting this attitude which would not be good for them or our overall society.But at senior level this is the reality and it will not change. GAA today is such a part of Irish life that so much of a players life depends on how he and his team perform at the highest level. Their jobs and careers are intimitly bound up with their sporting success or lack of it.
For a top player like a Kieran Donoghy or Colm Cooper, both from not very well off backgrounds sport, and the GAA in particular, provides hope that they can reach fame and a little bit of fortune in a society where otherwise they would not have a lot of advantages and where people look down on people from their backgrounds. Sport is one of the few ways in which a guy from an ordinary background can make a name for himself in a society which is dominated by who you know and where you went to school or who your daddy knows.
As a Dublin fan the 2011 final was the best . Primarily because Kerry threw it at us . Kerry lost it , we didn’t win it . Kerry have always been the standard by which you measured yourself . It’s lovely to see them with their confidence shot but it won’t last .
Mayo are the arsenal of Gaelic football, afraid of winning and loving a good moan
Mayo bet Kerry by 6 points this year but it could have been a lot more. They totally dominated them.