Saints 33 - Chiefs 3

The two teams came into this match from opposite sides of the spectrum.  The Chiefs have got their season off to a flying start whilst the Saints have been struggling (to say the least).  Having beaten the Tigers at home the Chiefs must have fancied their chances.

So at kick off to see the Saints collect the ball and then run rather than kick for clearence had many of us with our hearts in our mouths.  Any moment we were waiting for the whistle to blow as ill-discipline has been a big part of our downfall.  But when the whistle did blow it was a for a try, scored by Downey, and the Saints were off to a flyer. 

The score board at the end was misleading.  In fact the Chiefs had the majority of the possession and spent a lot of time in the Saints half and even on the try line.  But resilient defence and a refusal to infringe meant that the Chiefs couldn't find the gap that they wanted.  

It's hard to say what made the difference, and it is only one game.  Personally I hold to the line that it is the return of Dicko.  I beleive we saw the same efect last season.  I beleive that Dicko keeps them on the straight and narrow while organising the defences to withstand the hordes.  Others will say it was Ryan Lamb (MoM) running the ball and creating openings.  Whatever the reason, this was the team that we expect to see and there were smiles all around at the end.

Massive credit to Mike Haywood, a youngster catapulted into playing as the starting hooker with Dyln in Ne Zealand and both Sharman and Long injured.  Hooker is a tough position to play and normally age is needed to get wise. Mikey played fantastically and earned the respect of players and fans alike.  Also Samu Manoa deserves a mention - another great game and he is learning each time he pulls on the shirt, he deserves a starting place in the future.