SAINTS: Mallinder wants more
Saints boss Jim Mallinder is looking for his side to improve their decision-making as they look to extend their winning run to eight games at Worcester on Boxing Day.
Mallinder's men are on a superb run that has seen them win their past seven games to keep them in the hunt for all three trophies.
They sit third in the Guinness Premiership, top of their LV = Cup pool and are handily placed to qualify for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup.
Yet Mallinder is always searching for improvement from his side, who were frustrated not to get the bonus point in Treviso despite winning 21-18.
And the director of rugby believes that less-than-perfect display was mainly down to poor decision-making in the face of an onslaught of high balls from the Italian champions.
Mallinder said: "Our decision-making needs to improve. We were poor under the high ball on Saturday. That is an area we can improve, our decision when to counter-attack and when to kick long is another one we can improve.
"And another one we can improve is the speed of ball at clear out, because Treviso were very good at slowing the ball down, getting hands on the ball and getting over the ball. It is up to us to work on that area, free the ball up and get it away as quickly as we can."
Mallinder feels his side need to cut out the mistakes as well. When put under pressure by Treviso's kick-chase game Saints coughed up a number of mistakes and with a tough trip to Sixways on the horizon, Mallinder is keen to get rid of the errors.
"I am giving a lot of credit to the way the opposition played," said Mallinder. "Treviso played with good numbers around the ball. They don't play too much rugby, so you don't get too many turnovers from them, because a lot of it is their kick-chase.
"They are constantly trying to keep you pinned back and play the territory game. It is tough when you have got a team who do that and are good in the set-piece.
"They did well off our kick-offs as well. Every time they scored we kicked back to them and they got a good drive going and probably a good kick-chase, looking to get the ball back.
"And when you are not being too accurate at the back it gives them opportunity to get good field position."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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