'Embarrassed' Saints ready to respond against Tigers

Alan Dickens believes the Saints players are ready to produce a big response at Welford Road after admitting they were 'embarrassed' by their second-half showing last Saturday.
Interim head coach Alan Dickens believes Saints can respond against Leicester (picture: Sharon Lucey)Interim head coach Alan Dickens believes Saints can respond against Leicester (picture: Sharon Lucey)
Interim head coach Alan Dickens believes Saints can respond against Leicester (picture: Sharon Lucey)

Saints shipped 48 unanswered points after the break in a 63-13 defeat to Saracens at Franklin's Gardens.

It was the fourth time this season that the Barnet-based team had humiliated the black, green and gold.

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And Dickens is now hoping Saints can react to the defeat as they did after losing to Saracens on the opening day of the Aviva Premiership season.

A week after that loss, they beat Leicester 24-11 at Franklin's Gardens.

And interim head coach Dickens said: "We'll cling on to that.

"After the Saracens game at the start of the season, we talked about our physicality not being quite right and we certainly saw a response against the Tigers the following week.

"It's something we're looking to do again this week.

"It's a derby game and they're always physical.

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"I've got no doubt we can go to Leicester, put them under pressure we've got to go through our processes like we did in the first half last week.

"We were physical in that first half and that's what we're looking for this week.

"The players are embarrassed about last week and it's not something they want to be remembered for.

"They will be looking for a response."

Saints produced a hugely impressive performance to tame Tigers earlier in the season, but this weekend's opposition are currently on a five-match winning streak.

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Dickens' men have lost their past five matches and no Saints team has won at Welford Road since a 10-9 success in February, 2007.

"It is (a long time)," Dickens said.

"I've spoken to Stephen Myler and talked about the fact he's won there once.

"We've drawn there, 19-19 three or four years ago, so it is a tough place to go and it will be no different this week.

"It is a challenge and one we're looking forward to.

"I'll draw on the fact that when we played them here earlier in the year, it was a fantastic day.

"We'd love to finish this Saturday with a smile on our face."