Graham: Guys were in tears after that defeat but we’ll fight back
Sam Graham believes Northampton can turn the heartache of losing last weekend’s Champions Cup semi-final to their advantage as they set their sights on the Premiership title.
The Saints recovered from a slow start in Dublin to trail by three points in the closing minutes and forced Leinster, who had won the previous five meetings between the teams by large margins, to dig deep.
“Guys were in tears at the end,” said back rower Graham. “Everyone gave absolutely everything. It was gutting to lose but we can turn it into a positive. Not many gave us a hope but every person in the group believed we would win. We showed how much we have grown as a team.”
Graham joined Northampton last season from Doncaster. Despite the back row riches at Franklin’s Gardens, he has been a virtual ever-present in Northampton’s matchday 23 this campaign, playing across the back row.
“I have loved the season,” said the 26-year old who captained the Knights. “There is nothing better than playing week in, week out. I have had to work hard on my defence, a part of the game I really love, but I would like to get the ball in my hands a bit more.
“The coaches have driven my game on. It is so competitive in the back row here and you have to keep moving forward because everyone is as keen as you are to wear the jersey.
“The challenges have come thick and fast this season. The hardest aspect of professional rugby is dealing with how much the emotional intensity can take out of you but the matches we have had in the last few weeks are what you play for. We know that if we bring our game, teams will struggle against us.”
Graham was part of a back row in Dublin that more than matched their international counterparts. Courtney Lawes, below, led by example and Juarno Augustus made a series of powerful surges.
“Courtney showed just how good he is,” said Graham. “He was everywhere and he will be a big loss next season. Everyone at the club wants to give him a fitting send off.
“Juarno gets us on the front foot more often than not. He was one of the best players on the pitch and gave it his all. He is brilliant to learn from and he is one of the nicest blokes off the pitch. He gives so much and he has hit a rich vein of form.”
Leinster had 13 internationals in their starting line-up and with a crowd of 82,300 packing into Croke Park it was an occasion some Northampton players, including Graham, had not experienced before, although playing against Harlequins in front of 60,000 spectators at Twickenham the week before offered a taste of what was to come.
“It was the biggest crowd I had played in front of,” he said. “It is one of those things you cannot actually take in at the time. It was not until I sat down with my fiancée, who was out there, on Sunday, that it hit home.
“She had taped some videos of us running out and the crowd throughout the game, something you don’t get to take it in when you’re there because you are focused on the job in hand.
“The danger is that you overhype it to something it is not. It is one team of 15 players playing another in a game of rugby and you have to be there emotionally, which we were.
“We made some small mistakes early on and were punished. It was a great learning experience for the group against one of the best club sides in the world and we want to become used to playing in matches like that.”
Northampton went into the semi-final without two of their international back rowers, skipper Lewis Ludlam and Tom Pearson, who has made only one appearance since the Six Nations after picking up a groin strain playing for England A.
“It is one of those injuries that takes time to get right,” said Phil Dowson, Northampton’s director of rugby. “Tom has suffered a couple of setbacks and while we want him back, we will not rush him, frustrated as he is.”
