Launceston v Northampton Saints: danger man and key stats
Here is the danger man and key stats ahead of Launceston v Northampton Saints.
Launceston v Saints
Franklin's Gardens, Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Kick-off 8pm
Launceston danger man
Matt Jess
Position: Winger
Age: 22
Place of birth: Penzance
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 16st 2lbs
International honours: England U-21s
Previous clubs: Cornish Pirates, Newport Gwent Dragons
All about the man: The flying winger is being tracked by a host of Premiership clubs and is certainly being talked about as one for the future.
His big asset is pace, but he has excellent agility and ball handling skills as well, which has seen him score seven tries this season, an impressive total given he is playing for a club struggling at the bottom of the table.
Jess is in his first season at Cornish All Blacks after an abortive spell at Newport Gwent Dragons. He joined the Welsh club for the start of last season, but was quickly loaned out to Ebbw Vale, where he unfortunately broke his leg and didn't feature again. He was allowed to return to Cornwall, where he is doing a sports management degree at Truro University while playing for the All Blacks. Jess came through the ranks at Cornish Pirates, who just happened to be the All Blacks' first game in their first season in division one. For most of the season Jess has been starved of possession as the All Blacks forwards have struggled, but under head coach Chris Brown's philosophy he will always have plenty of opportunity to run with the ball.
Injuries/suspensions
Saints
Robbie Kydd (Achilles), Sean Lamont (knee), Karl Rudzki (broken arm), Christian Short (knee), Chris Ashton (shin), Mark Hopley (knee), Jon Clarke (ankle), Damien Browne (bicep), Paul Tupai (calf). Unavailable: Euan Murray, Joe Gray
Launceston
Scott Ireland (broken leg), Tinus De Plessis (hamstring), Jon Fabian (ankle). Unavailable: Wayne Reed
Form
Saints
W W W W W W
Launceston
L L L W W W
Last time out
Saints waltzed past Rotherham with 11 unanswered tries in a 73-0 win, with skipper Bruce Reihana grabbing a hat-trick. Cornish All Blacks saw their relegation fears grow with a 27-19 defeat at home to Coventry, who led 19-5 at the break despite playing into a strong wind. Cov were reduced to 14 men and there were 10 minutes of injury-time, but the All Blacks couldn't pull off a come back.
The whistler
Llyr Apgeriant Roberts – The Welshman ran the line on Saturday for the trouncing of Rotherham and is the only bloke who makes Ian Vass look like a giant. Roberts has refereed Saints more than most this season, being in charge at least five times and is averaging exactly one yellow card per game.
Potter's prediction
Both teams' fitness will be tested by playing their second game in three days, but surely the part-timers from Launceston will feel it the most. They might take some encouragement from Saints' growing injury list and all credit to the All Blacks for not picking a weakened side for the trip to Franklin's Gardens. But a Saints romp can be the only prediction. I think it should be another 70-point win, if not more.
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Weather for Northampton
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -8 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
