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Waller: Chiefs provide ‘one of the biggest tests’

We sat down with Northampton Saints prop Alex Waller ahead of the Club’s Gallagher Premiership clash against Exeter Chiefs at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday evening…

Q: Did we see the best of Northampton Saints for longer periods during last Saturday’s 45-31 win over Bristol Bears? 
AW: We saw a pretty flowing attack. There were spells where we put our game on the pitch pretty impressively, but also spells where we switched off, which has been a consistent theme throughout the season. The work-on this week has been to have that on the pitch for 80 minutes because at times it was brilliant, and we played some fantastic rugby, and at other times we switched off, which you can’t do against any team because they’ll punish you for it.

Q: How important was it to get all five points, after the result at Wasps was sadly expunged? 
AW: The lads just want to get the win on the sheet first, but overall if you look at it, it was disappointing to lose those five points because it was a pretty hard-fought win down there. Unfortunately, that’s just the way the rugby world is at the minute, so you’ve just got to focus on what you can control, and we managed to get that win at the weekend. It’s the same again this week. 

Q: Was last Saturday the best we’ve seen from Saints’ attacking game so far this season? 
AW: It was pretty impressive. I thought Fin [Smith] did a really good job on his debut and he led the lads around brilliantly. It was impressive in aspects, but consistency is key – there’s no point being a superhero for 10 minutes of a game and then switching off for 20 and letting them get points back, because it just puts the pressure back on.

Q: The first two months of the season have been a bit stop-start for you, do you feel like you’re fully back up to speed now? 
AW: I’ve been unfortunate after being knocked out in the London Irish game in a maul and then having a couple of weeks off, but I think I’ve been rolling into the games since pretty good. It’s a long old season, it’s pretty attritional – no-one knows that better than me – so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in on Friday night.

Q: What sort of steps do you have to go through after an injury like that, before you are allowed to return to training? 
AW: The full protocol lasts a long time – if anyone is more interested it’s all online and you can look through it. But there are loads of tests and doctor appointments with independent doctors not associated with the Club, and all sorts. It’s a pretty steady process these days, as it should be, and as frustrating as it is at the time, because you obviously want to be back out there, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture. You only get one head, so you have to look after it. As disappointing as it was to miss out against Quins and especially Leicester Tigers at home, the bigger picture is that you need to get your head right. 

Q: Are players a lot more aware of what to look out for when it comes to head injuries than they were a decade ago? 
AW: Definitely, I’ll hold my hands up and admit I wasn’t as aware ten years ago as I am now about what the symptoms are, and what is normal and what’s not. That’s just from an education standpoint and players now look at the bigger picture a little bit more. Also, the doctors and medical staff have put together a rigid protocol to get through, so this is no way the players can dupe the system. Awareness is key and it’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s moving in the right direction. 

Q: Now Saints have got over a mini-injury crisis in the front row from earlier in the season, are we now seeing improvements in the scrum? 
AW: We didn’t have the best start, but I think we’re back on track now. What some people may have been looking at as the same squad as last year, is actually a very different squad who sort of needed to get to know each other and iron out some creases. The only way to do that is by playing, but we’re back on the same page now. We’ve put in some pretty decent performances in the front row in the last couple of weeks. 

Q: Is that good timing, considering Friday’s opponents, Exeter Chiefs, are well-known for their strength up front? 
AW: That’s their DNA and their forte, I’d say. That’s why we’re looking forward to it because you’ve got to test yourself and I think this is one of the biggest tests. We’re looking forward to it and hoping to come out on the right end of it. 

Q: Was it a surprise to see Exeter finish outside the top four last season, and for them to be seventh in the Gallagher Premiership heading into this game? 
AW: I can’t speak for Exeter because I haven’t been in their camp, but if I know anything about professional rugby players, and the environments they’re in, they won’t be happy with seventh – especially after coming off the back of being a pretty dominant force. They had those couple of years winning the Premiership and Champions Cup, so they won’t be happy with seventh by any stretch. The way they’ll be looking at the game is to come back up the table, but hopefully we’ll put a bit of a dampener on that on Friday. 

Q: It’s the first floodlit Premiership match of the season at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, does that add something extra to it? 
AW: Friday Night Lights is always pretty impressive at the Gardens – some of my favourite games have been here under the lights here. There’s always a good atmosphere here and especially so on Friday nights, so we’re all looking forward to that. 

Q: The squad has started to be tested by the absence of its international players during the Autumn Nations Series, just how encouraging a start to that period was it against Bristol? 
AW: I think there’s great strength in depth across the squad in all positions at the moment. I think whoever steps in puts the jersey on for the Club and does their job well. Competition is a good thing, and it drives our standards higher.

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