Mitchell relishing chance to reunite with Smith for Saints

A club that possesses one of the best pairings in Europe has been shorn of that combination so often during a fragmented campaign.

Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith have started just three of 13 Premiership games together this season due to a combination of injury and international duty.

It has meant Saints have had to call on the likes of Archie McParland, George Makepeace-Cubitt and scrum-half Tom James, who played at fly-half for the first time in his career last Friday, to step up.

And though those players have plenty of talent, there is no doubt that any club would miss the combination that Mitchell and Smith have struck up.

It is a combination that helped Saints to claim a first Premiership crown for 10 years last season and a combination that recently sparked an England revival as the Red Rose finished second in the Guinness Six Nations, just a point adrift of winners France.

"Somebody told me that (Mitchell and Smith have started three times in 13 league games together) the other day and I thought it was quite mad," Mitchell said at this week's Saints media day.

"But I obviously had a bit of a layover at the start of the season (due to a neck injury) and it’s just not really aligned, the same games we want to play in, which is tough.

"We want to play as many games together as possible, but sometimes that’s just how the season goes.

"It’s been inconsistent, we’ve struggled with injuries throughout, so that’s why we’ve not had a great run of form, but we’re playing together this weekend, so that should help."

So what has it been like at Saints with so many of their key combinations unable to be fielded this season?

"I think it’s massive, especially in little things like training and meetings," Mitchell said.

"The inconsistency of boys being injured or away, it can be tough to have that flow, that cohesion.

"Last year we were so lucky on the injury front, everything just sort of aligned and I think for the final I don’t think anyone was injured.

"Throughout the whole season we kind of had that, but this year hasn’t been like that.

"I’d say it’s been a frustrating year on that front, but we’ve got the end of the season to look forward to."

Smith was on a mandatory rest week last Friday but is now back to face Clermont Auvergne in a huge Investec Champions Cup round of 16 clash at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.

And Mitchell is delighted to have his England team-mate alongside him again, having had to shoulder kicking duties during last Friday's 27-24 defeat at Sale Sharks due to the fact Saints had to select another scrum-half, James, at fly-half.

"It was weird, I don’t think I’ve ever done that before, but it was different and we were obviously struggling on the injury front with the fly-halves," Mitchell said.

"It’s just weird how it turned out that week we had literally no 10s available, but obviously TJ stepped up and I think he did an awesome job and we tried to look after that the best we could.

"We nearly actually did a job on the Sale boys, on Gus Warr and George Ford, which would have been quite funny, but we didn’t in the end."

It was a big responsibility on Mitchell who not only had to run the show at nine but also had to focus on kicking for touch and at goal.

But he said: "I didn’t mind stepping up and doing the kicking duties. I’ve done it a couple of times before when Fin’s got a yellow card.

"It’s obviously an extra thing to think about, but it was more just the kicking in the week – my groin and quad started to hang off in the week, so I was struggling on that front from doing double kicking sessions every day.

"It was something I’m not used to, but I didn’t mind it – 50 per cent, I missed a few kicks but it’s not my day job, so I’ll leave that to Fin next time.

"I had practiced a fair bit in the week – it was the kick-offs, the kicking to touch I also had to practice and it was just another thing to think about.

"Sometimes I see Fin do it and I go ‘it can’t be that hard,’ and then obviously when you do it yourself it’s actually a bit trickier than you think. But it wasn’t too bad, I enjoyed it and if they need me to do it again, I’ll do it.

"For me, it is easier to sometimes just focus on your job, whether that’s your box-kicking game or not.

"I didn’t really mind it but it’s definitely nice to have those fly-half boys back and they can look after the kicking duties."

Mitchell was given a week off after the Six Nations, meaning he missed Saints' 33-0 defeat at home to Leicester Tigers.

He jetted off to Dubai and then returned fully refreshed for the Sale clash.

"Obviously, it’s a long old campaign in the Six Nations, but it was really enjoyable," Mitchell said.

"I think at the start of the campaign a lot of people thought we wouldn’t get top three, and we managed to sneak in second and nearly win the thing.

"On that front, it was a really enjoyable campaign, but it was good to come back.

"I had a week off straight after the Six Nations, but it was good to finally come back home and see the boys again.

"Obviously, we were frustrated after Leicester and not really putting on a performance out there, especially on derby day, but we put in a half-decent performance at Sale.

"It’s a tough place to go, they were fully loaded and I think add another five minutes on to that game and we would have turned them over, and we’ve not won there since 2017.

"The boys hung in there and did a very decent job with a disjointed team, so that’s a performance we’re going to try and take into this week."

Next up for Saints is a clash with a Clermont side who have won five of the six meetings between the clubs.

"When I was very young – about 20 or 21 – I managed to get try of the year (for a score against Clermont)," said Mitchell. "I didn’t do anything for it, I just did a little cheat line and scored under the posts, but that was at Clermont.

"We’ve played them a fair few times, obviously at their place. They’ve got an amazing stadium – it’s like a coliseum – and we’ve had a few ding-dongs and we’re looking forward to another one on Friday.

"We’ve got a massive chance in Europe and to have home games on Friday nights against a massive team like Clermont, they’re the games you want to play in.

"Knockout rugby is more entertaining, there’s a lot more up for grabs and it’s where boys step up, so I can’t wait.

"We’ve got a really strong side out and it should be a good one."