I sat in English rugby’s ‘away end’ – and only had one complaint

Leicester Tigers 41 Northampton Saints 17

WELFORD ROAD — “We don’t hate Leicester, we just want to beat them,” husband and wife Mark and Zoe tell me as I join the Northampton Saints Supporters’ Club coach from Franklin’s Gardens for the hour’s journey up the M1 to Leicester Tigers.

Rob Calder, the Prem’s chief growth officer, speaks of zones for away fans “improving the on-screen product for broadcast audiences”, which means a distinct section of colour and noise for cameras to zoom into.

Leicester’s England full-back, Freddie Steward, who is also a fan of Norwich City FC, put it pre-match as: “I am not saying I would ever want rugby to be a football atmosphere – that’s a ridiculous statement. What it will do is maybe create a slightly more hostile atmosphere.”

Slightly more hostile? Okay, let’s see. As we climb off the bus and spill onto the sunny plaza next to the stadium, Leicester and Northampton supporters mingle in the queues for drinks and food.

It’s like Liverpool and Everton here, as some families have fans of both clubs. Ewen Purcell and Karl Brill of the Saints supporters’ committee tell me they have chosen not to sit in the two designated away sections.

“We like being with the home fans so you can have a chat and a laugh,” Karl says. “As someone once said, ‘this is not soccer.’”

Ashley and two Saints-supporting mates are celebrating two of their birthdays with a first visit to Welford Road. They saw “a group of lads get a bit bolshy, pushing into us” at a home game with Leicester so they have chosen the away section to be with fellow Saints, and “sing louder and make our own atmosphere” – the kind of stuff Calder has been talking about. But they are going to find Tigers supporters in with them, anyway.

The ticket-selling has not been rigorously enforced, so the Prem’s blurb of “a Shoe Army safe haven” is nonsense. And as the away sections comprise just 347 seats out of the 25,849 capacity, the TV wow factor is non-existent, too. Proper away ends require shifting home season-ticket holders to make space, and more of an away-travel culture during the regular season.

Still, as I make my way into the supposed Saints-only corner of the Mattioli Woods Stand, it enables me to view the match through both sets of eyes. Allan Grey, my Leicester neighbour for the first half, has had a season ticket here since 2003.

“The East Midlands derby is legendary,” he says, as we recall the famous punch-up between Northampton’s Chris Ashton and Leicester’s Manu Tuilagi. But if it is niggle you’re after, he nominates Saracens as Leicester’s “bogey team” a few years ago.

Meanwhile, Zoe and Mark say they had a great laugh at Exeter in the home pub, the Blue Ball, recently, and Karl tells me how in a pub with Munster fans, you would struggle to buy a round. Hospitality more than hostility. Football fans may be stunned to discover you can drink alcohol in your seat at the rugby.

A couple of Saints supporters give it a go in the second half, as the card count reaches two yellows and one red for Leicester, three yellows for Northampton.

“Dirty Tigers,” one says. “Cheating Leicester,” says another. But the conditions for craziness have not been created.

That might just be a rugby lesson for Northampton from this 41-17 loss in which Leicester beat them comprehensively in the breakdowns.

But it also explains the push by the Prem and outside influences such as the boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and potential American investors for more “characters” among the players. When Hearn’s client, Henry Pollock, comes on as a substitute, the hackles rise and the chatter increases.

“Pollock the pillock,” a Tigers fan says. “He really is Marmite, isn’t he?”

A young Saints fan says: “He’s an absolute magician.” Then he makes me smile when, unprompted, he imagines Saints against “the old Harlequins” and “[Joe] Marler and Pollock mocking each other all match – that would be great.”

Read more

• Martin Johnson: I never felt like I’d made it – even after winning the World Cup
• Hugh Godwin: Why two Pittsburgh money men just bought into a Cornish rugby club

Over near the Crumbie terrace, Pollock appears to be offering a Leicester forward out. “Woo-hoo,” shouts a middle-aged man behind me. Maybe more fighting is the way to go. Never mind splitting the fans – just bring back Johnno?

After the final whistle, it is all sweetness in the sunlight again. Players mix together to chat with young fans. Unfortunately, Pollock is not among them, so Tommy Gaughy, who had his hair dyed platinum blond on a junior club tour a fortnight ago, and now stands with a banner saying “Henry, Nice Hair!”, makes do with a selfie with Callum Chick.

As with the Prem’s away-zone idea on this day, it was a bit of a letdown.