After a tough weekend for Saints in Europe, Ethan Waller is ready to return to Franklin’s Gardens, Aviva Premiership rugby and the atmosphere a Friday night kick-off brings.
The prop was honest about the squad’s feelings after a disappointing weekend in Castres but is relishing the chance to make amends on Friday night as Gloucester Rugby head to Franklin’s Gardens.
“It was a very tough day,” Waller said on this week’s podcast.
“Saturday was extremely tough to take from all angles. We’re a lot better than that as a team and it was disappointing especially after the performance we had the week before at home. To then go into the next round of the European competition and lose by that margin was hard.
“It’s massively disappointing but on the plus side it’s a short turn around this week and we’ve got a good chance to rectify it on Friday night.”
Waller is looking forward to returning to the Gardens and being welcomed back by the Franklins Faithful as Saints host Gloucester whom currently below Saints in the league table only on number of games won.
“A Friday Night atmosphere is awesome and being around Franklin’s Gardens is great.
“There’s no other ground in the Premiership like it; the fans always get behind you and give you the boost you need. There’s nothing quite like setting up for a scrum, preparing for it and hearing ‘Oh, When The Saints’.
“That support will be crucial for us on Friday night.”
Gloucester, yet to lose an away game this season in either the Aviva Premiership or European Challenge Cup, will prove a tough test for Saints and Waller and his side are aware of the challenge that faces them.
“It’s been a week mostly of self-reflection for us looking at the weekend after that performance but we drew a line under that after the first day of de-brief and we’ve been looking at Gloucester since.
“We know they’re an extremely dangerous side and we know that like any different day in the Premiership it comes down to who’s got the passion and ultimately who’s up for it on the day, so we can’t rest on our laurels.
“We know that if we give them an inch they’ll take a mile so we’ve got to make sure that we’re spot on in terms of everything we do on Friday night and not really give them a foothold into the game.”
