Premiership
Gloucester Rugby name sides for two weekend games
Gloucester Rugby have named their sides for two weekend games against Northampton Saints in the Gallagher Premiership and Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
In the Premiership team, Jack Singleton comes in at hooker, with Santiago Socino dropping to the bench. Either side of him, Val Rapava-Ruskin and Fraser Balmain remain as the props. Freddie Clarke and Matias Alemanno maintain their places in the boiler house.
The back-row of Ruan Ackerman, Ben Morgan and captain Lewis Ludlow, is also the same as it was last weekend.
Stephen Varney makes his first league start of the season at scrum-half and Santiago Carreras starts at fly-half once again.
In the centre, Seb Atkinson makes his Gallagher Premiership debut for the Cherry & Whites. He’s partnered with Scotland international Chris Harris.
In the back three, Jonny May returns on the wing after being away for England in the Autumn. Louis Rees-Zammit and Lloyd Evans complete the team.
Santiago Socino switches out of the starting XV for Singleton. Harry Elrington, Ciaran Knight, Cam Jordan and Jake Polledri all keep their places among the replacements from last Friday’s clash with Quins.
Charlie Chapman and Billy Twelvetrees also both started on Friday, they cover the backs on the bench alongside Alex Hearle.
Team News v Saints
15. Lloyd Evans*
14. Louis Rees-Zammit*
13. Chris Harris
12. Seb Atkinson (GP debut for Gloucester Rugby)
11. Jonny May*
10. Santiago Carreras
9. Stephen Varney*
1. Val Rapava-Ruskin
2. Jack Singleton
3. Fraser Balmain
4. Freddie Clarke*
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Ruan Ackermann
7. Lewis Ludlow* (C)
8. Ben Morgan
16. Santiago Socino
17. Harry Elrington
18. Ciaran Knight*
19. Cam Jordan*
20. Jake Polledri*
21. Charlie Chapman*
22. Billy Twelvetrees
23. Alex Hearle
*Denotes academy graduate.
In the Premiership Cup on Sunday, Seville and Seb Blake start alongside experienced Kirill Gotovtsev in the front-row with Andrew Davidson and Arthur Clark behind them in the second-row.
In the back-row, Freddie Thomas starts on the blind-side with Jack Clement on the open side. Clement is our ambassador for the RPA’s Restart Round this week, you can read more about that here.
Jack Bartlett starts at number 8.
Scrum-half Ben Meehan has been given the captaincy for the game. Defence coach Dom Waldouck has been impressed with the Aussie’s leadership this week.
He said: “He’s a player that leads by example with his performance and he’s spoken really well so we’re excited to see him lead this week.”
He’s one of four players in the back line that have had Gallagher Premiership minutes this season, along with fly-half George Barton, centre Jack Reeves and wing Jake Morris.
Morgan Adderly-Jones partners Reeves in the centre.
Alex Morgan returns from injury to start on the wing, and Josh Hathaway starts at full back.
Finn Theobald-Thomas is set to make his first appearance off the bench the Cherry & Whites after signing from Worcester. He is joined by; Archie McArthur, Bryan O’Connor, Danny Eite, Rob Nixon, Matty Jones, Morgan Adderly-Jones and Kyle Moyle on the bench.
Team News v Exeter
15. Josh Hathaway*
14. Alex Morgan*
13. Jack Reeves*
12. Morgan Adderly-Jones*
11. Jake Morris*
10. George Barton*
9. Ben Meehan (C)
1. Alex Seville*
2. Seb Blake*
3. Kirill Gotovtsev
4. Andrew Davidson
5. Arthur Clark*
6. Freddie Thomas*
7. Jack Clement*
8. Jack Bartlett*
16. Finn Theobald-Thomas*
17. Archie McArthur*
18. Bryan O’Connor*
19. Danny Eite*
20. Rob Nixon*
21. Matty Jones*
22. Tom Riman*
23. Kyle Moyle
*Denotes academy player or graduate
Content & Images from – Gloucester Rugby
Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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