Dowson tells Saints not to shy away from big challenges ahead

Phil Dowson has urged Saints not to shy away from the big challenges that lie ahead in the weeks to come.
Phil DowsonPhil Dowson
Phil Dowson

The black, green and gold have a hugely difficult schedule in December, starting with Friday's Gallagher Premiership trip to Bristol Bears.

Saints then move into Champions Cup action, hosting Bordeaux-Bègles before travelling to take on traditional foes Leinster.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A Boxing Day home game against Worcester Warriors will be the final match of a troubled 2020.

And forwards coach Dowson, who saw Saints suffer a 49-29 defeat at home to Harlequins last Saturday, said: "They're all big challenges.

"You see what (newly-promoted) Newcastle have done in the past two weeks (winning against Bath and Sale Sharks) and they're all tough games.

"Bristol are obviously a top side but the only way we're going to get it right is on the pitch playing games and we shouldn't shy away from that.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We should just take what we can from last weekend's game, good and bad, most of it we have to improve on, and we have to attack this week with renewed vigour, more energy, more aggression, more physicality and we just need more."

Saints shipped an alarming six tries against Quins last weekend, making it 81 points conceded in two Premiership matches so far.

And Dowson said: "It's wasn't a great performance, very poor and to concede that many points at home so early in the season is simply not good enough.

"There are elements to the defence that have cost us in terms of the way Marcus Smith played and attacked us on the width and hurt us.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"But also there's tries scored from easy turnovers in attack so I don't think it's all one part.

"The lineout didn't function for the first two lineouts, the first scrum we had the ball spilled out and we turned over possession, in attack there was turnovers, in our kicking game there was turnovers so it's not one thing we can pin it on, but defence is a major concern, yes."

Could Saints take anything from last weekend's horror show?

"There were elements we were happy with," Dowson said.

"One of the things we spoke about last season was that we weren't scoring enough points in the 22 and we weren't efficient enough but we got into the 22 last Saturday and scored.

"We scored from a driving lineout, we ran a back peel and then Hutch (Rory Hutchinson) scores so that's positive, but we didn't get in their 22 often enough and we've conceded too easily again.

"For every step forward there seems to be two back, but we can't forget about that step forward either."

Related topics: