Stephen Myler: Kicked 11 points for Northampton
Northampton suffered a 21-16 Heineken Cup defeat to Castres at Stade Ernest Wallon in Toulouse on Friday.
The hosts scored two tries as they overcame their English guests to gain their first victory in this season's campaign.
These sides endured contrasting fortunes in round one with the French outfit on the wrong end of a 41-17 thrashing to Ulster and the Saints overcoming the Glasgow Warriors 24-15.
However, the hosts took a 13-6 half-time lead through Paul Bonnefond's try and penalties from Romain Teulet and Rory Kockott, with Northampton's response coming via the boot of Stephen Myler.
Antonie Claassen then went over in the second period for the home team and, although George Pisi scored for the visitors, Remi Tales' drop-goal sealed the victory.
In the previous round against Glasgow, the Midlands outfit had gone 15-0 behind before recovering to overturn that deficit. This time they went 10 points down early on.
Bonnefond touched down after a cross-field kick was superbly collected by Romain Martial. The winger then fed his team-mate who crossed the whitewash. Teulet converted and then added a penalty to extend their advantage.
But the Saints' hit back through Myler as the stand-in full-back slotted successive three-pointers to reduce the arrears.
Despite being just four points down, the visitors were finding themselves on the wrong end of Alain Rolland's whistle far too often. Another infringement saw Kockott take over the kicking duties and the scrum-half duly slotted the penalty to take Castres 13-6 ahead at the interval.
Northampton's second half didn't get off to the best start when prop Brian Mujati was sin-binned. That was to prove costly as the hosts took advantage of their dominance in the scrum when Claassen drove over from close range.
The visitors did get back into the match when George Pisi latched on to Ryan Lamb's grubber through, with Myler convertin to take the score to 18-13.
But straight from kick-off, another mistake from the away side allowed Tales to kick a drop-goal.
Myler added his third three-pointer to leave them within losing bonus-point territory, but they couldn't force the victory despite a late surge.
The scorers:
For Castres:
Tries: Bonnefond, Claassen
Con: Teulet
Pens: Kockott, Teulet
Drop: Tales
For Northampton:
Try: G Pisi
Con: Myler
Pens: Myler 3
Castres: 15 Romain Teulet, 14 Romain Martial, 13 Paul Bonnefond, 12 Seremaia Bai, 11 Marcel Garvey, 10 Remi Tales, 9 Rory Kockott, 1 Mihaita Lazar, 2 Brice Mach, 3 Anton Peikrishvili, 4 Iosefa Tekori, 5 Christophe Samson, 6 Jannie Bornman, 7 Piula Faasalele, 8 Antonie Claassen.
Replacments: 16 Marc-Antoine Rallier, 17 Yannick Forestier, 18 Michael Coetzee, 19 Matthias Rolland, 20 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 21 Pedrie Wannenburg, 22 Romain Cabannes, 23 Marc Andreu.
Northampton Saints: 15 Stephen Myler, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Dom Waldouck, 11 Vasily Artemyev, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Rhys Oakley, 7 Tom Wood, 6 Phil Dowson, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Samu Manoa, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Dylan Hartley (c), 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Paul Doran Jones, 19 Mark Sorenson, 20 GJ Van Velze, 21 Martin Roberts, 22 Tom May, 23 Scott Armstrong.
Comments
rugby_rockstar says...
I think Castres surprised Saints, especially after Ulster got 4 tries the week before.
Saints are not as good as they think they are. They have gone backwards a bit with too many players content to pass the ball to George Pisi and stand back and watch him win them the match. Reminds me of England in the Rugby World Cup. where their only game plan was "Give the ball to Manu" Saints need to up their work rate. The Aviva clubs have to improve for England to improve. Oh and stop making excuses Jim Mallander. Get your head out of the sand and man up. If the head coach has a poor attitude then the players are going to look for excuses too. Get it together Saints, then you're happy, your fans are fans happy and England fans are happy. We all win. Was anyone pleased to see Castres win on friday? Didn't think so.
Posted 10:07 25th October 2012
Johnny_Guitar says...
I take it you disagree 'Kent' ??? Just pointing out the absolutely obvious and it looks like I'm not the only one who agrees about Rolland. I don't mind losing but not if it is down to the poor judgement of a referee.
This is a forum, allowing us to discuss, or bleat as you so eloquently put it.
Posted 15:34 21st October 2012
new_j4a says...
@Sincero who says... "You're basically a west Englander." Now there is an interesting slur ....and the "Englander" part so reminiscent of your close association with the fascists? But isn't this term usually aimed by the good Irish people of Cork at the ponces in Dublin who have ruined everything from rugby to the economy in Ireland.
Posted 12:21 21st October 2012
Jediboy says...
TVaddict - you're right. I'm sorry. I need to catch up. It won't happen agin. :)
Posted 08:44 21st October 2012
TVaddict says...
@Jediboy
I'm sorry your just so wrong. How can you be so wrong? What's wrong with you? Sincero has always been silly, so get your facts straight next time! :)
@Kent
To be fair the ref was awful. I'd say awful to everyone, not just Northampton, but still awful to the point he should lose his job.
Posted 23:50 20th October 2012
Jediboy says...
Sincero - two sweeping statements in one small post.
Clearly melkdave does know something, and your claim that Ulster are FAR better than Saints is quite simply wrong. So your are wrong with both your statements. And 'west Englander,' is that supposed to be an insult, a joke, what??
You look really silly now!!!
Posted 15:48 20th October 2012
Kent says...
@Johnny_Guitar : You forgot to bleat about the short turnaround. Try and keep up
Posted 12:14 20th October 2012
Kent says...
Didn't see the game but was wondering how stand out Hartley got on - sorry, meant to say stand up Hartley
Posted 12:12 20th October 2012
NHsaints says...
Damn it, another below par display from the saints...and the ref. Well done Castres though, a very tough team to beat when they can be bothered to field their first choice players. @Sincero...results would suggest otherwise
Posted 10:47 20th October 2012
bullitt says...
Irish teenagers will be dining out on this one for weeks.
Posted 10:13 20th October 2012
melkdave says...
@Sincero
Perhaps if all your going to do is insult posters with different views to you ,all the time.You could state your reasons ,for your counter arguement .Just saying Ulster are a far better team,than Saints doesnt make it true,you know Thats just wishfull thinking on your part.Wheres your facts to back it up??? Heres what ive seen so far Ulster struggled to get a bonus point against a depleted 2nd string Castres at home,and against a depleted Glasgow just ground out a victory, if Glasgow had made the missed penalties ect they would have drawn.Glasgow also destroyed the Ulster pack at the scrum,,where Saints had destroyed the Glasgow pack at the scrum ect.Meanwhile a full strength Castres at home outmuscled Saints and got on top at the scrum,and looked very good and powerfull in the loose.Thats what ive seen so far,have you seen anything to counter those facts??DIDNT THINK SO. Again just THINK just a little before posting your rubbish and wishfull thinking,as when you actually do think a little your posts do hold merit.
Posted 09:31 20th October 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
2 days less to prepare, a hostile ref and against a good Castre at home. Saints bonus point. Don't see the need to write off saints yet. Sincero yet again... not worth commenting on. Sunday followed by Friday games I think should not happen in HC if the second game is away for the team with 2 less days. Saints would have got the win with two more days or an away then home combination.
Posted 09:12 20th October 2012
Sincero says...
Melkdaffydd, you know NOTHING... Ulster are a FAR better team than Saints. You're basically a west Englander.
Posted 00:58 20th October 2012
TVaddict says...
First of all, congrats to Castres who outmuscled Northampton. A completely different team when..well...they're a different team. All of the regular players plus home advantage brought a much more spirited and organised display.
Now the rant. How Rolland continues to be allowed to referee is beyond logic. A few years ago I remember remarking on two referees and their appalling calls. The first was Bryce Lawrence and the next was Rolland. Whenever I saw their names come up it would almost make me not bother watching the match due to the shear amount if enjoyment they can suck out of a game.
Thankfully Bryce Lawrence is gone, just Rolland to go. He must have some powerful friends. He missed the knock on to the Castres first try, the knock on for the Northampton first try, the wheeled scrum try was illegal, no one seemed to have to release the tackler, etc etc and how can he still not know how to referee the scrum on any level? Can anyone think of a game where his refereeing isn't filled with inconsistency? For the love of rugby, beer and whatever else you love get rid of this man.
Posted 00:48 20th October 2012
Johnny_Guitar says...
We weren't great tonight but Roland was set on making our life impossible. Inconsistency from the ref. Missed knock on for the first french try, a wheeled scrum allowed and second try scored. We were then done for the same offence?? Forward pass during the last play???? All we have to do is beat Ulster home and away then, bet we get Owens!!!
Posted 23:20 19th October 2012
melkdave says...
Well as exopected it was a completly different Castres at home,powerful,motavated,andfull of running.Saints imo,did well to get a losing bonus point.Sad though that the differrance again wasachived with a player inthe bin,but thats the game.Exciting ,and both sides showed what they can do ,But Castres on the day deserved the victory imo.On this form Castres will beat Ulster easily at home.
Posted 22:31 19th October 2012
Jediboy says...
Saints were dire tonight. Very sloppy and little positive play. I fear that the writing is on the wall for Saints this season. Season is hoping from bad to worse. We desperately needs class 10 and some, decent front row back up. Without that Saints will win nothing.
Posted 22:27 19th October 2012