Can Northampton keep their Heineken Cup dreams alive?
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Eddie Butler previews Northampton's bumper two weeks as they prepare to take on Perpignan and Munster in The Guardian.
"This is an economy preview, with two for the price of one. It's just that Northampton find themselves squeezed without much consideration into the Heineken Cup schedule. This afternoon they face Perpignan, the reigning Top 14 champions of France, at Franklin's Gardens, and on Friday play the reigning Magners League champions, Munster, at Thomond Park in Limerick.
"The snow that spared the Saints a trip to Bath eight days ago couldn't have fallen at a kinder time, but it's still an alarming prospect to face so many champions so few days apart. On the other hand, there is always the consolation of knowing that Perpignan will not be at their most rabid, having lost away to Treviso in round one, and twice to Munster in rounds three and four, and having declared their interest in this year's Heineken Cup "over".
"They arrive without their front-row of internationals: Perry Freshwater of England, Marius Tincu of Romania and Nicolas Mas of France. There's no Nicolas Durand at scrum-half and no pairing of David Marty and Maxime Mermoz in the centre. Jim Mallinder, coach of Northampton, can resist complacency by saying that Perpignan will be dangerous whoever is selected, but this could have been a whole lot more arduous."
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