SAINTS: Ghost of Richards hangs over Quins
Saints' boss Jim Mallinder believes Harlequins still bear the hallmark of former boss Dean Richards.
The now disgraced ex-director of rugby is serving a three-year ban for orchestrating the Bloodgate scandal that has overshadowed Quins for much of the season.
Richards had dragged Harlequins out of National League One and made them a force to be reckoned with in the Guinness Premiership and in Europe.
But Richards' career was destroyed by Tom Williams' confession that he ordered him to use a blood capsule so Nick Evans could return to the pitch in their Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Leinster.
Despite months of speculation Harlequins, no doubt still reeling from the 260,000 fine, have yet to install a new director of rugby, with head coach John Kingston directing operations.
After studying DVDs of Harlequins' recent performances, Mallinder feels not much has changed in their pattern of play.
Mallinder said: "I don't think it has changed massively.
"They haven't got a team full of massive superstars, but they have got a lot of hard-working individuals, who work hard for each other.
"They are very competitive at the breakdown, good in the tackle area, at slowing your game down and stopping you getting any quick ball.
"In the backs they have got some exciting runners, Mike Brown at full-back is a good player, they are talented all over so we are going to have to be at our best. We know they are going to be competitive, they are good at the breakdown, they have shown that.
"They have had a poor start to the season, but they have definitely improved, they have won their last two away games and are on a little bit of a roll. It is going to be a tough game."
The weather is set to be as bad as last week when Saints showed a healthy appetite to run with a wet ball and eschewed a kick-and-chase game.
Mallinder encourages his team to play rugby, but not foolishly all the time. He wants his players to look at what is on and make the right decision. Last week Saints had the chance to try a few things in the slightly less pressurised world of the LV= Cup, but Mallinder will want to see that ambition tomorrow.
Besides, there is no point kicking into a gale. Perhaps it is something England could learn from?
"You can't play stodgy rugby all the time, it is easy to defend," said Mallinder. "We do like to play some rugby, you have got to be sensible and play in the right parts of the field and run at the right times.
"You have got to be prepared for a couple of mistakes, you don't want them to happen, but if you are going to play that is what happens.
"When you have a side like we have, with a good back line, a really exciting, attacking back three who can counter-attack, and forwards who like to carry the ball then it makes sense to utilise those strengths.
"We have got to be sensible, we have got to sometimes work out the percentages, but sometimes if they have got too many players back then we encourage our players to run the ball from whatever position they are in.
"If they are putting too many players in the breakdown then you have got to move the ball, but likewise if their players are spreading across the pitch then it is an opportunity to maul and keep it tight and to suck in those players. It is about reading the situation and reading what the defence are doing."
If Saints are to jump back into the top four today, they will need sure hands again and show similar ambition to put down Harlequins, who won just once at the Gardens in the last 12 years.
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Weather for Northampton
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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