Brookes backs Saints team-mate Waller to come back stronger after costly sin-binning

Kieran Brookes believes Alex Waller will come back stronger after his sin-binning at Saracens on Saturday.
Alex Waller was yellow carded at Allianz Park (picture: Sharon Lucey)Alex Waller was yellow carded at Allianz Park (picture: Sharon Lucey)
Alex Waller was yellow carded at Allianz Park (picture: Sharon Lucey)

Waller was shown a yellow card for lifting Saracens hooker Jamie George above horizontal during the second half of the match at Allianz Park.

And Saints, who were 12-9 up at the time, went on to ship 12 points during the sin bin period.

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It cost them dear as they slipped to a 27-12 defeat at the home of the Aviva Premiership and Champions Cup champions.

But though disappointed with the outcome, Brookes was quick to back his team-mate.

“He’s a very passionate player and he’s an aggressive player,” said the England prop. “No one wants to take that away from him.

“It was a bit of red mist at the time, but he’ll learn from it and get better for it.

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“It’s out of character, but he’s passionate and aggressive and we want him to keep playing like that - he’s a prop at the end of the day.

“Maybe that was a bit over the top but I’m sure he’ll reflect on it.”

Stephen Myler had slotted four penalties to put Saints in control of the match.

But Saracens bit back through a George effort and a penalty try.

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And Brookes said: “It was a good first 60, disappointing last 20.

“We know we’re not going to come away with anything against Saracens when we’re playing with 14 men for 20 minutes (Sam Dickinson was also sin-binned).

“That’s the disappointing thing, the discipline.

“I thought we played well, matched them if not outplayed them in that first 60 minutes.

“But when we play these top teams, we’ve got to play for 80 minutes.”

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