Premiership
Ollie Sleightholme signs contract extension at Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints can today confirm that Ollie Sleightholme has signed a new contract to remain at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.The 22-year-old wing – formerly of Northampton Old Scouts and Northampton School for Boys – joined Saints’ first-team squad on a full-time basis ahead of the 2018/19 season, having graduated from the Club’s Academy (which he initially joined aged 13).Sleightholme has since scored 25 tries in 53 appearances in Black, Green and Gold, and scooped both of Northampton’s Try of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.With six scores in just nine appearances so far this term, Sleightholme is already looking to kick on again for Saints for the remainder of the 2022/23 season and beyond.“Northampton Saints is my home and everything about the place made me want to stay here for longer,” he said.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Saints legend Jon, Sleightholme made his first-team debut against Bristol Bears in the 2018/19 Premiership Rugby Cup before taking just 15 seconds to score on his Gallagher Premiership debut against Wasps that same season.
The rapid wing had earned his first contract after catching the eye for Saints’ Under-18s and Premiership Rugby 7s sides.
Sleightholme earned a silver medal with England Sevens during the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas, and represented the Red Rose at Under-18 and Under-20 level – playing in the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship. An injury prevented him from earning a first senior cap in 2021 after being called into England’s summer training camp.
But the 2021/22 campaign saw him play his most rugby in a single season to date, as Sleightholme made 15 appearances to help Saints qualify for the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals, while he was joined in Northampton’s senior ranks by his younger brother, Frankie, during the summer.
Saints’ Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson, said: “Ollie is a tremendous athlete, and someone who always works very, very hard to improve himself for the team.
“His finishing ability is obvious from his excellent record of scoring tries, but he’s also a really popular member of the group and a great lad to be around – which is what we want here.
“Ollie’s a local guy and one of the many homegrown players in our squad who we are very proud of. It’s absolutely imperative we keep characters like him in Northampton, so we’re delighted to see him sign on again, and we’re looking forward to getting him back from injury soon.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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