If the overriding emotion for fans after the glorious defeat in North London was immense pride, it’s only fair to say that this week in Northampton it was one of intense frustration.
Frustration at shipping another bucket-load of points, frustration at watching a defensive line shredded like a field of wheat at harvest time and frustration at having a high tackle law that appears to be arbitrarily applied from week to week.
Erratic officiating was one of the contributing factors to Saturday’s narrative but it was no way the reason why we lost. No, the bigger picture (no pun intended for once) was that yet again we managed to concede possession too cheaply, in so many different ways and at so many key moments so that despite having ample possession we weren’t able to apply sustained pressure on the hosts who were as clinical as we were profligate.
Like the disappearance of Lord Lucan, quantum physics and the Bristol hum, the Bears’ quest for consistency is fast becoming a mystery that no one can readily explain. At times we were at our scintillating best with the first try a textbook example of the Bears way as the ball moved rapidly from side to side before quick hands from lock to hooker to outside centre served up a sumptuous score.
There were also moments when we made the correct decision to keep the ball tight resulting in tries for Callum Sheedy and Yann Thomas, but it seems that when we put one new layer onto the game plan we then manage to strip another one off and both our defensive set and our lineout were as poor in this game as I have ever seen.
Credit must go to Saints whose electric back line took full advantage, but to concede two tries through the middle direct from set pieces and another from an opposition player driving over from 10 yards out with three players hanging off him, does make you throw your hands up in the air and beg for salvation from the rugby gods.
The ‘Enya trip’ to Sale away on Friday will not be easy, but one we must believe we will win and ultimately I’d rather watch a team trying to play good rugby badly than one playing bad rugby well. C’mon Bris!
