Premiership
Saints name side for preseason friendly at Ospreys
Northampton Saints have named a 31-man squad to face Ospreys in the Club’s final preseason friendly ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, with Alex Mitchell leading the side out at Dunraven Brewery Field.The 25-year-old England international is named as captain of a Saints side for the first time in his career – while Fraser Dingwall, Ollie Sleightholme, and Juarno Augustus all start the clash to also make their first appearances of preseason.Sleightholme joins George Hendy and new signing James Ramm in Northampton’s back three, while Dingwall lines up in the midfield with Matt Proctor, and Mitchell will hope to pull the strings from the half-back berths alongside James Grayson.Up front, Emmanuel Iyogun, Mike Haywood and Paul Hill make up the front row, with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Alex Coles packing down in Saints’ engine room for the second week running.Augustus – statistically the most destructive carrier of any forward in the Premiership, TOP 14, URC and Super Rugby last season with a gainline success rate of 75% – pulls on the No.8 jersey, with Angus Scott-Young and Sam Graham rounding off the back row having both made their first starts in Northampton colours last weekend.Meanwhile Sam Matavesi, Brandon Nansen and Aaron Hinkley are all named amongst the replacements for Saints and are also poised to make their first appearances of preseason when they enter the action.OSPREYS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTSPreseason FriendlyFriday 2 SeptemberDunraven Brewery FieldKick-off: 7pm15 George Hendy14 Ollie Sleightholme13 Matt Proctor12 Fraser Dingwall11 James Ramm10 James Grayson9 Alex Mitchell (c)1 Emmanuel Iyogun2 Mike Haywood3 Paul Hill4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto5 Alex Coles6 Angus Scott-Young7 Sam Graham8 Juarno AugustusReplacements:Alex WallerSam MatavesiRobbie SmithAlfie PetchOisín HeffernanAlex MoonBrandon NansenAaron HinkleyGeordie IrvineCallum BraleyTom JamesMatt ArdenTom CollinsJoel MatavesiTom LitchfieldCourtnall Skosan
Northampton Saints have named a 31-man squad to face Ospreys in the Club’s final preseason friendly ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, with Alex Mitchell leading the side out at Dunraven Brewery Field.
The 25-year-old England international is named as captain of a Saints side for the first time in his career – while Fraser Dingwall, Ollie Sleightholme, and Juarno Augustus all start the clash to also make their first appearances of preseason.
Sleightholme joins George Hendy and new signing James Ramm in Northampton’s back three, while Dingwall lines up in the midfield with Matt Proctor, and Mitchell will hope to pull the strings from the half-back berths alongside James Grayson.
Up front, Emmanuel Iyogun, Mike Haywood and Paul Hill make up the front row, with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Alex Coles packing down in Saints’ engine room for the second week running.
Augustus – statistically the most destructive carrier of any forward in the Premiership, TOP 14, URC and Super Rugby last season with a gainline success rate of 75% – pulls on the No.8 jersey, with Angus Scott-Young and Sam Graham rounding off the back row having both made their first starts in Northampton colours last weekend.
Meanwhile Sam Matavesi, Brandon Nansen and Aaron Hinkley are all named amongst the replacements for Saints and are also poised to make their first appearances of preseason when they enter the action.
OSPREYS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Preseason Friendly
Friday 2 September
Dunraven Brewery Field
Kick-off: 7pm
15 George Hendy
14 Ollie Sleightholme
13 Matt Proctor
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 James Ramm
10 James Grayson
9 Alex Mitchell (c)
1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Mike Haywood
3 Paul Hill
4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
5 Alex Coles
6 Angus Scott-Young
7 Sam Graham
8 Juarno Augustus
Replacements:
Alex Waller
Sam Matavesi
Robbie Smith
Alfie Petch
Oisín Heffernan
Alex Moon
Brandon Nansen
Aaron Hinkley
Geordie Irvine
Callum Braley
Tom James
Matt Arden
Tom Collins
Joel Matavesi
Tom Litchfield
Courtnall Skosan
Content & Images from – Northampton Saints 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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