Northampton Saints - News : Keith Barwell

8 April 2006, 12:10 pm

Keith Barwell - Bath

Fasten your seatbelts � the last four laps of the GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP rollercoaster starts today. Whatever you think of promotion and relegation and the top four play-offs, it certainly adds excitement to the end of the season. A couple of weeks ago, we played Newcastle away. Whoever won could be sixth; the loser would be 10th. It�s been that close. Can Leeds do a Houdini act again? Who knows, but they are one of the best sides we have played this year. More importantly, can we gird our loins for one massive last effort to ensure qualification for next year�s Heineken Cup? It would be a fantastic reward to you, our fantastic fans, who have been magnificent during this season while we have been rebuilding the team. At the same time, we have been laying down a marker as to how we want to play the game. In these words: it is attack, attack, attack. It does not always work, and last week, we went to down to Worcester despite scoring four tries. However, we are committed to play 15-man attractive rugby and I hope Paul and the boys have the bottle to keep going until the season ends.

We don�t want to go into our shells now since our visitors seem to have adopted a similar approach. We could have a high scoring game today. A big, big welcome to Brian Ashton and the Bath team. Apart from Leicester, the Bath game is always very popular here at Franklin�s Gardens. It has been sold out for weeks now, as is the Leicester game next week. It is sure to be physical and fast. Hang on in there and keep shouting; you could be the big difference today.

Talking about qualification for the Heineken Cup next year� for those of you who don�t have a degree in physics, let me try and give you a Janet and John guide. Remember, seven or six teams will qualify for next year�s competition (see Saints News for more details). These will be the top six teams in the GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP, unless one of the winners of the Powergen Cup or European Challenge Cup competitions is a side that is not in the top six. Got it so far? Let me give you an example: only Wasps can win the Powergen Cup from the Premiership and this gives automatic qualification into the Heineken. I they lose � so be it. If they win, it won�t matter because they probably already qualify due to their league position. The Heineken Cup winners also gain automatic entry. Today�s visitors Bath could win this. Similarly, in the European Challenge Cup, now that we are out, we really need the winner of this to be a top six Premiership side. Now there are lot of complications beyond that. For Saints� supporters, the route is simple. Win all four of our remaining games and try to get into the top four play-offs, then qualify as champions and qualify as number one seeds. Please get behind the team today and let�s go for it. Light the blue touchpaper. Remember, in 2006, we have played eight league games: won six, drawn one and lost one. Everything is possible.

Congratulations to Andy Vilk and the England Sevens team, as following on from their silver medal in Melbourne, they have now won the Hong Kong Sevens.

Finally, Saturday is always a difficult day for Budge and me. Ali, Budge�s wife, and my daughter Ella player for the Towcestrians Ladies hockey team. Weekends, when both teams lose, are a nightmare. Last week, we lost, but Towcester got promoted to the Midlands Premier League and are now the county�s leading women�s team. Well done, girls.