Tuala can't wait to play in front of Saints fans again

But the Samoan back knows the team must get the job done in their absence when Harlequins come calling on Saturday afternoon.

Saints have endured a torrid time at home in 2020, losing every league game they have played at the Gardens.

That sorry streak of seven successive defeats has come as Saints have won just one of the past 15 matches they have played in all competitions, home and away.

But with 2,000 fans set to be allowed into the Gardens for the Champions Cup opener against Bordeaux-Bégles on December 11, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

And Tuala is excited to be able to run out in front of supporters again, even if numbers are closer to what the Wanderers would get rather than the Saints.

"It's pretty weird because we'd all kind of got used to playing with no one really out supporting us, but everyone's looking forward to it now," Tuala said.

"We can get about 2,000 people in our stadium, which is better than none, and we're looking forward to it because you get a different energy from playing in front of crowds.

"It's going to be a bit like a Monday night Wandies game, but even then, the supporters who come down and watch the Wandies are pretty loud and we can always hear them.

"It's going to be pretty cool.

"We've had some pretty cool moments here at the Gardens with crowds and it's just a different buzz when you're playing in front of 15,000 people.

"It gives you a lot more energy and gives the team a bit of a boost so we're definitely looking forward to it."

Tuala arrived at Saints from New Zealand side Counties Manukau Steelers as injury cover for Ben Foden in February 2015 and has since gone on to score some acrobatic tries.

And he admits it was a very different feeling to what he had been used to when he played at the Gardens for the first time.

"It was a massive difference," said the 31-year-old. "When I was playing back home, we'd have about 2,000 or 3,000 in a pretty big stadium and that was like our normal.

"Then when I came here for my first game, the boys were telling me there were about 15,000 fans and I didn't think much of it until I got out on the pitch and saw how many people were here and just how passionate everyone was about rugby.

"The thing that got me most was everyone chanting 'oh when the Saints go marching in' and it was just an awesome experience."

Saints will have to do without that crowd noise again this Saturday though, as they bid to finally bring an end to that unwanted losing streak.

Their opponents will be a Harlequins team who lost 33-3 at home to Exeter Chiefs last Friday.

And Tuala said: "We're the guys on the pitch and we've got to put in a performance we can be proud of and get good results.

"We've got to find that energy within ourselves even without the crowds and we spoke today about Franklin's Gardens needing to be a fortress and we want to bring that back.

"We want to get wins on our home pitch and make it hard for teams to come here and get a victory.

"It's a massive point for us that we need to put a good performance in and get a victory on our home ground.

"The boys are just really excited to play this weekend and we're really looking forward to it."

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