EDF Energy Cup - : 10,000 Saints fans march on Twickenham

Northampton will have a huge travelling support driving them forward at Twickenham

10,000 Saints fans march on Twickenham

11 April 2008, 12:52 pm

By Chris Heasman

Northampton Saints are back and will be hoping Saturday's EDF Energy National Trophy final with Exeter Chiefs continues their incredible victory roll...

Northampton, who have swelled attendances wherever they have played on their remorseless march back to the Guinness Premiership this season, expect around 10,000 supporters to make the trip to Twickenham for the club’s first cup final since 2003. Around 50 coaches will be making the trip down the M1 in convoy.

On the pitch and Northampton Saints' director of rugby Jim Mallinder is braced for another tough test from Exeter Chiefs as they attempt to complete a league and cup double by lifting the EDF Energy National Trophy.

Northampton wrapped up the National One title when they beat Exeter, their nearest challengers, at a packed Franklin's Gardens last month.

But Exeter pushed Northampton hard, just as they did when they met at Sandy Park earlier in the season, and Mallinder has warned his players that they will have to work hard if they are to make it a hat-trick of wins.

“It’s an exciting match for both teams. Any Twickenham final is," Mallinder said. "We’ve had two very tough and physical battles with the Chiefs this season and they have been very tough opponents.

"Although we’ve won both games they have been very tight and we haven’t been able to pull away. I’m expecting no different on Saturday.

"They showed their resilience on Sunday when they came back to nearly pinch the match away at Nottingham. The Fatialofa brothers run hard, wings Jason Luff and Josh Drauniniu are both excellent finishers and the Chiefs’ pack is one of the best around.

"They have pushed us hard all season and it is good for the competition to have the league’s top two clubs battling it out in the final.

"It is a good occasion for the club and especially the supporters. They have been following us all over the country this season in their hundreds and it will be superb to see them in their thousands at Twickenham.”

Northampton are likely to be without wing Chris Ashton, their record-breaking try-scorer, for the final. Ashton, who has scored a National One record 33 tries since he switched codes from Wigan Warriors last summer, missed last weekend's win at Coventry because of an ankle injury.

“His ankle has not been 100 per cent right, so we are going to have to wait and see this week and see how he goes,” Mallinder said.

Exeter Chiefs skipper Richard Baxter says his side must put in the performance of the season if they have any chance of bringing the silverware home.

The Devon outfit were defeated 18-8 last month and 11-25 at Sandy Park in November by the Saints.

“This is the biggest game of our season and we will have to put in the best performance of our season to win,” said Baxter, who plays No. 8 for Exeter. “We are delighted to be in the final and having got ourselves here we know we have got a very good chance of winning it.

“Playing our league rivals does add extra spice to the fixture. We have played twice this season and Northampton have just edged the win on both occasions. Now we know where we have got to make the step up and if we prepare as thoroughly as we can ahead of Saturday then hopefully we can get that win against them.

“Northampton are of course the toughest opponents we can play in this competition. They practically brought down a whole Premiership side when they were relegated and that is why they are so strong. It is a great learning curve for us to affectively play a Premiership side three times in a season as we continue to develop and improve our game and seek promotion into the premiership.”

Exeter have, however, also been enjoying their rugby this season and are second in the league. The domestic trophy is also a favourite of the Chiefs with Exeter having contested the tournament final four times in the last six years.

Baxter is hoping 2008 will be fourth time lucky though. He added: “This has been a good season for us and we would like to end it on a winning note.

“The cup is massively important to us; it is just as important as the league. We have enjoyed a lot of success in it in the past and we want that to continue but also to go that one step further and if we do that, it would be a tremendous end to the season for us.”