Attack coach King confident Saints can tame Tigers at the Gardens

Alex King is upbeat about Saints’ chances of adding Leicester to their list of Franklin’s Gardens victims on Saturday.
CONFIDENT - Saints attack coach Alex King (Picture: Linda Dawson)CONFIDENT - Saints attack coach Alex King (Picture: Linda Dawson)
CONFIDENT - Saints attack coach Alex King (Picture: Linda Dawson)

Attack coach King has seen his side score an average of 33 points a game on the way to eight wins in as many home Premiership matches this season.

Saracens, Bath and Harlequins are among the pantheon of clubs to have been systematically dismantled in Northampton.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And King is hopeful Saints can send Tigers home with their tails between their legs this weekend.

“We’ve had some big wins at home,” he said. “Saracens at home, we got a bonus point, Bath at home, we got a bonus point, Harlequins just after Christmas, and it’s where we want to be.

“We’re in a good place, we’ve worked really hard this week, we understand the challenge ahead of us, but we’re positive.”

Leicester have proved a sizeable stumbling block for Saints in recent years, with Jim Mallinder’s men failing to win any of the past nine meetings between the teams.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wayne Barnes has been the man in the middle for many of them, with the official making some controversial calls.

But King doesn’t feel the appointment of the Gloucestershire referee will be a key factor in this weekend’s renewal of rivalries.

“He’s not an issue,” said King. “I’ve got on very well with him.

“As I said before – history is irrelevant. It’s the 80 minutes in the here and now.

“Wayne Barnes is a top referee and I’m looking forward to him refereeing the game at the weekend.”

Related topics: