The lineout has become an even more difficult place to secure your own ball with the introduction of the Experimental Law Variations.

Opposing teams are now allowed to flood the lineout with as many jumpers as they want and against Bath with their massive pack that is a difficult proposition, with the back row being just as adept as the locks.

Saints have struggled to win good clean ball from their own lineouts and have had 28 throws stolen in six Premiership games according to the Opta Statistics.

Surprisingly the acknowledged Lords of the sky, London Irish, are right behind Saints on 25.

But on the evidence of Saturday's clash with Bath, Saints may start to slip down that table after Kruger's first promising start.

Having been understudy to the world's best lineout operator in Victor Matfield at the Blue Bulls, Kruger, who came off on Saturday with blood pouring from his jaw, comes to Franklin's Gardens with plenty of knowledge Saints can plunder.

His impact was instant on Saturday, with Saints employing a short lineout for the first time this season.

With just Kruger and his pod in it, it was pretty obvious where the ball was going, but could the opposition stop it?

No, and it freed up Roger Wilson to carry the ball in midfield, which he did brilliantly all afternoon.

Paul Shields, who lost his starting spot to promising Academy hooker Joe Gray against Bath, has certainly been impressed by the signing of the 6ft 6in, 17st 8lbs 23-year-old.

Shields said: "With the likes of Juandre coming in it is definitely improving competition.

He was at Bulls behind Victor Matfield, so he is obviously a very good player and he has shown touches of that already in training.

He is a quality operator in the lineout, he can only improve our standards right across the board and give James Cannon and Courtney Lawes a lot to learn from.

"If you have a very well functioning five-man lineout you can afford to let three forwards be free.

I watched the Bledisloe Cup, and New Zealand used a four-man lineout and it made Australia go with a four-man lineout because they didn't want to lose the extra men in midfield, and I've seen South Africa use a three-man lineout. They just backed themselves to win the ball.

"The new law is not the end of short lineouts, some teams will stick with safety in numbers, but it might start coming back more once people know how to use it."

Although height – something Northampton's Academy have been growing in abundance with 6ft 8in Cannon, and 6ft 7in Lawes and Phil Hoy, who is on loan at Bedford – is an obvious advantage at the lineout, Shields says athleticism is also vital.

"You need athleticism and you need to read the opposition and get there before they do," said Shields.

"You need to be able to get off the ground faster than anyone, the more athletic the player then definitely the better player they are.

If you use a speed ball and do it well enough and fast enough, the ball should be away before the opposition have got off the floor.

If you do it right it is very difficult to stop."