For Mark Easter delight at being back in the Saints team was tempered by the disappointment of defeat at the Memorial Stadium last weekend. But the back rower is determined to put that behind him and help the Saints regain momentum in the Guinness Premiership.
It was Easter’s first Saints start in 2008/09, although he came off the bench against the Scarlets and played for the Wanderers against Cambridge University a week last Monday.
It was also his first start at openside flanker, having previously split his time between number eight and blindside.
“Personally I’m very pleased to be back,” he said. “It’s no real consolation for losing to Bristol though. I had a go at seven against Cambridge and was keen to get my hands on the ball.”
Easter has not featured for either the first team or the Wanderers this season while rehabbing from injury, so it might seem as if he’s come from nowhere to be back in the Saints team.
“It worked out that way because when I was coming back there were no ‘A’ team games,” Easter explained. “I went straight onto the bench against the Scarlets but in the previous couple of weeks I could have played ‘A’ team games but there weren’t any. The coaches showed faith in me, which was a big call.
“Now it’s a case of getting match fitness and getting over the bumps and bruises!”
The Saints changing room was understandably quiet after the game at the Memorial Stadium. But Easter says that there were some positives to be taken from the match, including the team’s first away Guinness Premiership point.
“We’re obviously bitterly disappointed we lost, but we’ll take a point and move on to next week,” he said. “We didn’t panic in the last 10 minutes. The drop-goal missed by inches. We put in a lot of effort, but so did Bristol and fair play to them, they came out on top.
“It is a matter of keeping positive and move on to next week.”
