Premiership
Saints confirm captain for 22/23 season
Lewis Ludlam will continue in his role as Club Captain for Northampton Saints for the 2022/23 season.The 26-year-old England flanker led the men in Black, Green and Gold to the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals last term courtesy of a fourth-place finish in the league standings. Ludlam also brought up a century of appearances for Saints in a season in which he led the side 22 times and scored four tries for Northampton.A product of the Club’s Academy system, Ludlam was named skipper in a solo capacity for the first time last season, and Director of Rugby Phil Dowson had no hesitation in asking the industrious back row to continue.“We thought Lewis did an excellent job as captain last year, ably assisted by so many others within the squad,” he said. “We’re blessed to have Courtney Lawes and Dan Biggar – captains of their countries – here, as well as the likes of Fraser Dingwall, Dave Ribbans and Alex Coles whose leadership was superb last season.“But Luds was outstanding in what was his first season on his own in the role. First and foremost, he’s always a big driver of energy for us. His aggressive and dynamic style of play means people want to follow him, but that’s also mirrored in his leadership off the field.
“Within the group, he’s happy to allow the space for people with a tactical mindset to provide any insight necessary to help the team, which is a characteristic you need.
“Clearly being the captain is not just about what you do on a matchday; it’s also about what you do in the week – coming to the coaches to ask for clarity on anything or suggesting new ideas, it’s really important to have an open dialogue to drive the group forward, which we have with Lewis.”
Ludlam is the 65th captain of Northampton Saints since the Club’s inception in 1880. As well as making 101 appearances in Black, Green and Gold to date, the flanker has amassed 14 caps for England – successfully touring Australia this summer with the Red Rose.
After bursting into the spotlight during the 2018/19 campaign to become a first-team regular, the Ipswich-born back row earned his first international call-up in the summer of 2019 and went on to feature at the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
While he will be unavailable for selection until Round 3 of this season’s Gallagher Premiership due to the mandatory rest period for England’s players after the summer tour, Ludlam is determined to lead Saints from the front again this season and reward Northampton’s coaches for placing their confidence in him with another string of imperious performances in 2022/23.
He said: “With a change in the regime you can never be 100 per cent sure of being asked to do it again, especially with so many great leaders in the squad, but I’m really happy that Dows has trusted me and given me the opportunity again this season.
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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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