Photos from Tiny’s Big Bowling Event can be found here
Well done to David Lowrence and his team for putting on a great event this evening – the players and kids had a grand time. I had a grand time taking some photos of the evening – if you would like a copy of any of them please do email me at RedHatPhoto.com.
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Photos from Northampton Saints vs Harlequins are here…
Friday night games at the Gardens are both a pain and a joy – the faff of getting from work (and having to take two cars) is more than offset by the electric atmosphere. The crowd seem more engaged and involved and the noise levels much higher.
The team certainly responded, having seen off the Quins’ whirlwind start, they set to and demolished the Quins’ set piece and fast paced work in the lose. I loved seeing Ben Foden tear past Mike Brown to score but I couldn’t photograph it as 7 substitutes were between me and the action. It wasn’t much better when Roger Wilson crashed over in the second half – this time it was the traffic in midfield and pitchside but given my luck in previous weeks, I can’t complain.
This Saints team are learning all the time and the difference this season, is when the bench comes on, it brings both fresh legs and as much talent. The tackling against Quins was as fierce in the last five minutes as it was in the first – both Samu Manoa and Mikey Haywood doing magnificent Courtney Lawes impressions.
This week I had some time off so missed the trip to Parc Y Scarlets – Saints did well to come away with a win and deny the Scarlets a bonus point. Ben Foden again proved his worth with some brilliant work and a deserved try at the end. It was great to see Calum Clark back – his fearless work in the lose and passion for the game is a joy to watch.
So next week’s big game at stadium:MK has new meaning – win and it is likely the Saints will be in the Amlin Challenge Cup. Meanwhile, Munster want a home draw in the quarter finals so will come all guns blazing. Twenty thousand Saintly voices giving it loads will provide an electric atmosphere.
I can’t wait:-)
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Ben Foden, Northampton Saints vs Castres, December 2011
Photos from Northampton Saints vs Castres can found here
Wow that was a marker for this week – with 20 minutes to go, we had witnessed a dull, error strewn penalty fest and then the boys let rip. Five tries in 20 minutes and it was 45-0. I’d gone from a quiet afternoon behind the cameras to a photo frenzy. It was great to see the confidence flowing back into some of the players that had had a tough few weeks. It will be fascinating to see who Jim picks in the coming weeks – Mike Haywood, Jamie Elliott and Ben Nutley all were awarded new contracts this week and all could be playing for a while. It’s fabulous to see so many of the Academy making into the 1stXV and doing so well.
The other player I am really chuffed to see doing well is Samu Manoa. Samu has gone from playing amateur rugby on the west coast of the US to winning MoM awards in one of the toughest club competitions in the world. He is already becoming a crowd favourite and if he keeps making and scoring tries as he has in the last few weeks, he will be one of the first names on the team list. There is clearly more to come from the big man and he is learning really quickly – No 8 is such a technical position which Roger Wilson has been a rock for Saints in recent seasons. Samu looks like he might be giving Rog a run for his money. No 8′s are always great to photograph – the blasting run from the back of the scrum, the securing line out ball and in both Samu and Roger’s cases, the slight of hand in the pass to put the backs away.
This week it is Bath who will be smarting after their capitulation in Dublin – they will want to get back to winning ways so the Christmas Eve match will be an absolute cracker. Shay Lovell, the media manager at San Francisco Golden Gate Rugby Club spotted an unusual fact about the game – there will be two ex-SFGGRC players on the pitch – Samu Manoa playing for the Saints and Chris Biller for Bath. I can’t recall that ever happening before:-)
So it’s the last match of 2011 – a year which has seen Saints come so close in both the Aviva Premiership and one of the greatest ever Heineken Cup Finals; where a new team has started to emerge and the Academy has begun to realise its investment. Saints have played some of the best rugby I have every had the privilege to watch and photograph.
Enjoy the game:-)
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Soane Tonga’uiha is one of the finest players ever to wear the black, green and gold. This week his testimonial year was launched and I was delighted to be at the event. I am also delighted to be able to provide my support to Tiny – I have donated all the photos I have ever taken of Tiny so they can be used by Tiny’s Testimonial Committee.
The photo above was taken by me with my iPhone 4Gs – it is remarkably good and the flash works really well. It’s also been published in several places so it’s proved popular.
So let’s get behind Tiny and raise lots of money for his good causes. All the details can be found on Soane’s Testimonial website
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Dylan Hartley, Leicester Tigers vs Northampton Saints, December 2011
Photos of Leicester Tigers vs Northampton Saints can be found here…
It is a match that will live long in the memory – intense, brutal and enormously skillful, the East Midlands derby is now as far as I am concerned THE match of the season. A few years ago, I remember one or two Tigers players dismissively saying that their match of the season was against Bath. They aren’t saying that now – Saints came within 4 minutes of pulling off the most remarkable comeback but it was not to be. A losing bonus point seemed scant reward for the effort the Saints lads put in.
For me, it proved one of the best outings of the season. I did something I have been meaning to do for a while. I swapped lenses between the D3 and D700. As a result, I grabbed some lovely action shots with both. In the second half, I was in in just the right spot when both Chris Ashton and Phil Dowson scored. The light was mixed but I am not complaining – light is a precious rare thing at this time of year.
Tomorrow, Saints play their second match against Castres. Last week’s match was an odd affair. Again the officials had far too much impact on the game but Saints made so many errors, it would have been remarkable if they had come away with the win. Tomorrow’s game gives Saints a chance to rest a few tired bodies and give some more game time to the youngsters. It’s also a chance to see big Samu Manoa play at No 8. Sam scored a lovely try last week and me and my cameras are hoping for more of the same:)
Enjoy the game:-)
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It was a long trek back from Limerick which gave DrT and I a chance to mull over what we had seen. We weren’t quite sure whether we had witnessed an injustice wrought at the hands of a poor set of officiating or a combination of a lack of chances taken and a final play of brilliance from the Munster team. What we did know was that the match was almost test standard – brutal in the contact and subtle in the plays. Either way, for the next match against the Scarlets, we were nervous as the Saints team had a very tight turnaround given how far they had to travel. The injury to Foden was a particular worry but somehow dismissed.
What we couldn’t know was in those five days between the matches, the rugby world’s press would suddenly be focussed on Jim Mallinder. The Press Room was a buzz before the match and only partly sated by the news that Jim would be taking questions after the match. Standing pitchside, it was noticeable how many more photographers than usual were taking photos of Jim during the warm-up.
The Scarlets supporters were loud of voice and an old boy in the Sky team enjoyed bringing them up to fever pitch. The Saints crowd were quiet, unsure what to expect from their returning heroes. What they got was baffling, the match was error strewn and each time the Saints gifted the ball to Scarlets, they scored. It was a mess and the Heineken Cup campaign was in tatters.
A week later and the next big match of the season arrives – Saracens who had beaten Saints at FG in the previous 3 league matches. As usual, the Saracens elected to play up the pitch in the first half which I think was an error as it meant they played with the wind. Saints came at them from the start and I am sure the Saracens were not expecting the ferocity of the Saints attacks. First up Lee Dickson dived over for a lovely score, a few minutes later it was George Pisi and then the pack drove over to enable Phil Dowson to get the ball over the whitewash. The second half was a much tighter affair and Saints decided to play it very carefully – they could have had the bonus point but George Pisi’s pass didn’t come off.
This time of year for me is tough because of the lack of light and for once, odd as I have taken three matches on the trot of teams playing all in red. It’s a relief today to see some other colours. The D3 has been playing up for the past few weeks – putting on lenses has got harder and harder. Last Sunday some careful examination revealed a screw sitting proud of the lens bezel. A few twiddles of a screwdriver later and all is well.
Today is one of my favourite trips and for only the second time for me as a photographer, it will be played in daylight. Welford Road is now a higgly piggly collection of stands old and new. Of course, there is the much repeated job that they all reside in the middle of a roundabout. The welcome is usually friendly and very professional. It is one of the scariest grounds to shoot at, as there is absolutely no protection from the pitch. But matches between Saints and Tigers are usually brutal and great to photograph.
I can’t wait.
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Photos from Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons can be found here…
Well that was sooo much better and great to see that the squad rotation has really clicked. Saints were always in control of this match and the scoreline was a fair reflection of their domination throughout. I was delighted to see Tom May grab his first tries in a Saints shirt whilst Saints’ two wingers also scored two each. Artemyev has settled in very quickly – Saints have a wealth of riches in the back three. Ashton’s second try started with an amazing pick up following a Falcons’ knock on. It’s great to see him scoring again though we need to see that Ashton cheeky grin – he looked a serious young man last week. Here’s hoping some time wearing the GB&G brings his smile back.
I was having a ball though shooting from the Burrda Stand first always means I get off to a slow start. The light was great and I was in perfect position for Tom May’s tries. The Nikons are going very well and I am delighted with the much enhanced performance of the D700.
I have a week off this week so will be watching the men in GB&G play London Wasps from my sofa. Then it’s the big one in Limerick – I can’t wait.
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Photos from Northampton Saints vs Saracens can be found here…
Photos from the under 8′s tournament at Franklin’s Gardens can be found here…
The weather was glorious and perfect for running rugby which is exactly what the Saints delivered against Saracens. The LV= Cup as a competition is a pale shadow of its predecessors but I like the format though I never quite know how we are doing in it! Saints played at pace and the Saracens pack and back line could neither contend with the set-piece nor the flowing rugby from mid field. Vasily Artemyev made his Saints first XV competitive debut and scored a hat-trick. His partner at outside centre was Scott Armstrong who is each week getting better and better. The powerful running of both men could not be contained by Sarries and Artemyev swept in for two tries. It was great to see Jamie Elliott back – he took his two tries really well and again played with enormous confidence for one so young.
The pack meanwhile, demolished the Saracens scrum – watching the front row being folded in half and Saints won ball against the head time and time again was great fun and I managed to get some good photos of the demolition. Tom Wood looked like a man that needed a game of rugby – he was brutal in the tackle. Ben Nutley impressed again – it’s easy to forget he is only 19. He played with assurance and easily put his opposite number Andy Saull into the shade. The front row of Haywood, Waller and Mercey were imperious in the set piece and quick and aggressive in the lose. Haywood has staked his claim so well – I hope we see a lot more of this young talented player.
And then the boys started to come home from the world cup – Tonga’uiha, Hartley, Lawes were all met with huge cheers from the Franklin’s Gardens crowd. With the addition of Paul Doran Jones, the Saints front row continued to batter the Sarries pack.
I was battling with the light – too much of it in one half of the field and not enough in the other. The new Saints’ cup shirts and the Sarries bright red shirts made for some nice bright shots. I missed two of Vasily Artemyev’s tried because I was on the wrong side of the pitch – I made no mistake with Artemyev’s third and Jamie Elliot’s pair in the south east corner. I also, was a little concerned by my red hat which I wore on and off throughout the match. I need to make I have my green one with me:)
The morning was spent at the under 8′s competition – there was some excellent tag rugby with Old Northamptonian’s running out the winners. I was impressed with the handling skills of such young players and the spirit the matches were played in. It was great taking photos in the sunshine although I had completely over done the number of layers of clothing and ended up looking very red faced and hot!
It’s a week off for me and then back to the Gardens for the Falcons – it will be very interesting to see who Jim picks for the match.
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Photos of Northampton Saints vs Exeter Chiefs can be found here…
Phew – the Saints came good yesterday as the backs and forwards played the match with pace and guile from the start. From the moment the Saints recycled the Exeter kick off by running, the Saintly faithful knew this was a completely different gameplan from the stodgy approach used at Sixways. Backs and forwards ran and ran with the ball, creating space and opportunities. Exeter did have considerable possession particularly in the second half, but Saints were comfortable in defence as Exeter crabbed sideways.
The Man of the Match chosen by Matt Perry on ESPN was Ryan Lamb. Ryan did have a good game with much of the pace coming from his fabulous passing. But Perry completely missed the real man of the match – Mike Haywood. The England under 20 hooker played his socks off. He covered every blade of grass of the Gardens’ pitch; he was secure in the line out and must have surprised the Exeter pack with his safe scrummaging. He was vocal, urging his team mates on and showed no nerves on the big stage. Let’s hope we see more of this young hooker soon.
I had a good afternoon – as it was cloudy, I sat happily in front of the Tetley Stand, watching the tries being scored in front of me. Of course, I had the usual collection of assistant referees, waterboys and medics to deal with but I didn’t do too badly.
Here’s to more of the same next week!
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Photos of Worcester Warriors vs Northampton Saints can be found here…
It was a steamy night at Sixways and the unusually hot weather meant the crowd were all in short sleeves enjoying the autumn evening. I had left work early and drove for three hours during the rush hour. I don’t mind doing ridiculous journeys to support my club – all I ask that the players and management give their all. Whilst I think the players continue to work very hard, I am beginning to wonder about our back line tactics. We played the game soooooo slowly and our back line’s decision making was really poor. Time and time again the support was slow and line breaks couldn’t be capitalised on because a player was isolated. Scott Armstrong took his chance well – he broke several times but each time had to keep going on his own because he was on his own
As I trundled home down the M40, I mused what needs to change and I came to the conclusion it is the pace at which the game is played. Quick offloading with support players running at pace and angles. I can’t recall seeing a backline player running an angle at pace all season.
But hey what do I know?
I do know that I took the fewest number of photos at a match in a long time and I was having to work hard to get anything at all. Sixways is yet another rugby ground with terrible lighting – please can somebody get a grip and set a standard for the quality of the lights. I did get the odd good one but it really was far too hard.
So next up it’s the Exeter Chiefs… please Father Christmas come early and teach the Saints lads how to play with pace and guile…
Here’s to a turnaround in Saintly fortunes.
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