‘Saints cannot lose their focus’, says Odendaal

As far as the first three games of a Saints career go, you’d do well to find a more memorable trio than those experienced by Saint #2088, Burger Odendaal.

The South African arrived last summer from Japanese side Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and continued with the rehabilitation from a shoulder injury. Shortly after he got out onto the training field with his new teammates, a hamstring setback further delayed his debut.

That arrived in Gallagher Premiership Round 10 as he played 73 minutes against Sale Sharks as Saints moved top of the table courtesy of a late penalty try at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

Next for Odendaal came the miracle at Sandy Park as Phil Dowson’s side somehow managed to overturn a 26-0 deficit to claim victory and stretch their winning run even further.

A head injury suffered in Devon meant he missed out on the ten-try Investec Champions Cup defeat of Bayonne, but the former Wasps centre arrived off the bench at a rain-lashed Thomond Park for his European competition debut last weekend as Saints made history, winning away in Munster for the very first time.

“That game is probably something that we will talk about for many years to come,” said Odendaal, who replaced Rory Hutchinson with 15 minutes remaining in Ireland.

His participation in one of the most-famous European competition performances in Saints’ history was just rewards for his perseverance during a testing first few months at the Club, when he was unable to contribute on the pitch.

“So far it has been really good at Saints,” the 30-year-old said. “The first month, month and a half was quite tough to just settle in. Getting over the injuries was my main thing. It’s great to be in the mix and be amongst the boys.

“It is always tough to join a club and you are on the sidelines. You cannot really do anything. I played a couple of games but unfortunately got the head knock against Exeter.

“So, because of the HIA [protocols] I had to miss another game. I got just over 15 minutes against Munster. So, the Newcastle Falcons game is a great opportunity for me as well to try and get 80 minutes under my belt this weekend.”

While Saints have exhibition fixtures booked in against DHL Stormers on Saturday March 9 and Sale Sharks on Friday March 15, this weekend’s Gallagher Premiership Round 12 match is their last competitive fixture for eight weeks during the Six Nations period.

Odendaal and his teammates are keen to enter that break off the back of a tenth-successive victory in all competitions, at Newcastle’s expense. 

“You don’t want to go into that off time, that break, coming off a loss,” he said, “The focus for us to keep doing what we’re doing, focus on us and hopefully we can get the result this weekend.

“Even though they [Newcastle] haven’t had the results, they had a win at the weekend [over Perpignan] so we know they are going to come out all guns blazing and we have to be ready for that.”

Saints know first-hand just how dangerous the Falcons can be. Prior to their maiden win of the 2023/24 campaign away at Perpignan in the Challenge Cup on Sunday, the closest they had come to a victory was a slender 16-14 loss in October’s reverse fixture at Kingston Park.

Northampton’s fate that afternoon fell out of their own hands late on as Brett Connon lined up a touchline conversion to tie the game, only for it to hit a post and bounce to safety.

“It wasn’t the best of conditions up there,” added Odendaal. “Hopefully the weather plays its part this weekend a bit better than it did up there, it is always a tough game. I don’t think there’s an easy game in the Premiership, so you have to be on it for 80 minutes.”