Tigers game is huge for the opening day
Jim Mallinder says Northampton Saints' clash with champions and east midlands rivals Leicester Tigers on the opening day is as big as they come.
Saints were handed a tough start to their Guinness Premiership campaign as they were matched up with Tigers at Franklin's Gardens on the weekend of February 3-5.
"We could not have a bigger opening fixture," said Mallinder.
"Northampton and Leicester finished second and first in the Premiership last season with Leicester going to win the Grand Final.
"So to have our two clubs meeting in round one of the fixtures is something that I'm sure will make our fans very excited – especially with the game being at Franklin's Gardens.
"From a rugby perspective it will be tough, like every game in the Premiership.
"But it is a real incentive for the players to perform in pre-season to get the jersey for the first game."
Following on from the Tigers opener, Saints face a trip to Harlequins, a home date with Bath and then another trip to old foes Saracens.
"It will be a challenging first few weeks of the season for us,"
admitted Mallinder.
"Harlequins away was possibly our worst away performance of last season, and we will of course look to improve on that, while Bath and Saracens finished strongly.
"Bath ran us very close in our game at the Gardens and Saracens will be difficult to play on their own patch.
"Then it will be good to welcome Exeter back to Northampton.
"We had two tricky games against them in National League One three years ago and it will be the same in the Premiership.
"But this is what the Premiership is all about. It is the most competitive league there is.
"We had a good season in 2009/10, but we want to use that as a stepping stone to finishing at the top end of the table every year."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kettering
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
