Wales look to Saints for inspiration

Warren Gatland wants his Welsh team to take a leaf out of the Northampton Saints play-book when they arrive at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

The Saints went from zeroes to heroes in the space of a week in the Heineken Cup earlier in the season after their shocking home defeat to Leinster. in round three. Seven days later they comprehensively turned over the three-time champions in their own back yard with a display of direct running and rugged physicality that knocked the Irishmen out of their stride.

Now Gatland wants his strike runners behind the scrum – Jamie Roberts, Scott Williams, George North and Alex Cuthbert – to follow suit and blast holes in the Irish defence.