Boyd's Saints are set for the 'good old grind'

Chris Boyd says Saints are ready for ‘a good old grind’ over the next two months.
Chris BoydChris Boyd
Chris Boyd

The black, green and gold travel to Bristol Bears on tonight (kick-off 7.45pm) for what is the first of 10 significant matches at home and abroad.

Saints have just finished a Premiership Rugby Cup period during which they were able to rest key men for both matches.

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But it is now back to the serious business for Boyd’s side as the Gallagher Premiership returns with a tricky trip to Ashton Gate this week.

Saints will then welcome Bath on the following weekend before starting their Champions Cup campaign against Racing 92.

And things won’t ease up at all until they finally get a Premiership bye week at the start of February.

Boyd said: “We’ve got a bye in the first week in February so between now and the first week of February, we’ve got 10 games, four of which are in Europe and six in the league.

“It’s going to be a good old grind.”

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Fifth-placed Saints go into tonight's game on a four-match losing streak in all competitions, while the Bears currently sit 11th, having lost four of their seven league games this season.

“We’ve had some pretty good games against Bristol in the past couple of years,” Boyd said. “They’ve always been decent games to watch.

“They like to play a bit and we like to play a bit.

“I don’t necessarily say it’ll be high-scoring but it will be an entertaining game.

“They were the best side last year as they finished top.

“They didn’t have quite as good a start this year but when they get their big fellas back they’re certainly a handful.

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“They’ve got a good squad so it’s going to be an arm wrestle.

“They’ve had some bad luck with injuries and sometimes you can be a bit unlucky but they’ve got a good crew down there and they’ll be dangerous at Ashton Gate.”