We can get better, says Jim Mallinder
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 20: Jim Mallinder, the Northampton director of rugby looks on during the Aviva Premiership match between Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers at Franklin's Gardens on December 20, 2014 in Northampton, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Aviva Premiership

We can get better, says Jim Mallinder

9 November 2015
Rugby Rucker
  • Northampton boss Jim Mallinder has claimed no panic in the camp.
  • Saints have lost three of their four games so far in the Aviva Premiership.
  • Mallinder thinks games in Rugby Champions Cup will help his team get back on track.
Northampton Saints boss Jim Mallinder has said his side will not panic, despite losing three of their first four Aviva Premiership Matches. He also insisted that his team are not far away from regaining their Championship-winning form of a couple of years ago.

Last season’s table toppers fell to 10th in the table after a 12-6 home loss to Saracens.

“We are not a long way off,” he told reporters. “I know we have had a disappointing start, but we are not going to be pressing the panic button. We know what we need to do, and we can get better”

“It’s not as if we’re a disaster and getting thrashed by 50 points every week,” Mallinder said.

He went on to add “we have made a few mistakes and not played as well as we can, but we know we’re a good team, we know we can get better and we know we can win games.”

He told BBC Radio Northampton: “We’re still positive, we’re going to stick together, not panic. It’s very disappointing to start this way but we have a good chance to get it right next week.”

Hopes were high for Saints following pre-season, where they defeated Saracens 36-17 and London Wasps 27-23.

Saints lost in the Premiership semi-finals last season, and their only victory this term came against bottom club Newcastle Falcons. They’ve suffered defeats against Worcester, Sale and Saracens.

Northampton won’t get a chance to get their Aviva Premiership campaign back on track until the 27th November due to two games in the Rugby Champions Cup. However, director of rugby Mallinder hopes a change in competition will lead to a change in their fortunes.

“We look back at some of the games – we shouldn’t have lost to Worcester, we shouldn’t have lost to Sale because we’re not quite playing well enough,” Mallinder said.

“If you’re not playing well enough, you don’t quite gel, you do lose games. It’s probably nice for us that we go to another competition next week and hopefully that will give us a chance to get some momentum.”

Saints host Scarlets at Franklin Gardens on Saturday before travelling to Glasgow the following week. They return to Premiership action the following Friday night with a home match under the lights.