Premiership
Saints name team for clash v Sale Sharks
Director of Rugby Phil Dowson has named his side for Northampton Saints’ Gallagher Premiership opener this weekend, with summer signings Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Angus Scott-Young set to make their full debuts at Sale Sharks.The men in Black, Green and Gold travel to the Salford Stadium on Friday evening (kick-off: 7.45pm) with the match available to watch via the PRTV Live streaming service.Saints have won only twice in ten previous visits to Sale in the league (2012 and 2017), but have claimed maximum points twice in last three seasons on opening weekend, and ended last season’s Premiership with six victories in seven matches – so will be hoping to carry that momentum into the new campaign.Fraser Dingwall will lead out the visitors as captain and lines up in the midfield alongside Matt Proctor, with Courtnall Skosan (who scored 11 Premiership tries last term), Ollie Sleightholme, and Tom Collins named in the back three.James Grayson will look to control the game from fly-half, while Alex Mitchell starts in the No.9 jersey having starred the last time Northampton met Sale – scoring a try and making 73 metres with two clean breaks and four defenders beaten.Up front, Salakaia-Loto makes his first competitive start for Saints in the engine room, with Alex Coles also packing down in the tight five behind an experienced front row of Alex Waller, Mike Haywood and Paul Hill.Scott-Young is named at blindside flanker in Northampton’s back row for his first taste of Premiership action, as Aaron Hinkley lines up on the other side of the scrum and Juarno 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%) rounds off the line-up in the No.8 jersey.Amongst the replacements there is room for England fullback George Furbank, while there are more competitive Saints debuts in store for tighthead prop Alfie Petch and flanker Sam Graham if they enter the action from the bench.SALE SHARKS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTSGallagher Premiership, Round 1Friday 9 September 2022Salford StadiumKick-off: 7.45pm15 Tom Collins14 Ollie Sleightholme13 Matt Proctor12 Fraser Dingwall (c)11 Courtnall Skosan10 James Grayson9 Alex Mitchell1 Alex Waller2 Mike Haywood3 Paul Hill4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto5 Alex Coles6 Angus Scott-Young7 Aaron Hinkley8 Juarno AugustusReplacements:16 Sam Matavesi17 Emmanuel Iyogun18 Alfie Petch19 Alex Moon20 Sam Graham21 Tom James22 Tom Litchfield23 George FurbankNot considered for selection:Dan Biggar, Callum Burns, Tommy Freeman, Joseph Gaffan, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, Rory Hutchinson, Courtney Lawes, Tom Lockett, Lewis Ludlam, Ehren Painter, James Ramm, David Ribbans, Frankie Sleightholme, and Karl Wilkins.Referee: Tom FoleyAssistant Referees: Andrew Jackson and Wayne FallaNo.4: Jamie LeahyTMO: Dean Richards
Director of Rugby Phil Dowson has named his side for Northampton Saints’ Gallagher Premiership opener this weekend, with summer signings Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Angus Scott-Young set to make their full debuts at Sale Sharks.
The men in Black, Green and Gold travel to the Salford Stadium on Friday evening (kick-off: 7.45pm) with the match available to watch via the PRTV Live streaming service.
Saints have won only twice in ten previous visits to Sale in the league (2012 and 2017), but have claimed maximum points twice in last three seasons on opening weekend, and ended last season’s Premiership with six victories in seven matches – so will be hoping to carry that momentum into the new campaign.
Fraser Dingwall will lead out the visitors as captain and lines up in the midfield alongside Matt Proctor, with Courtnall Skosan (who scored 11 Premiership tries last term), Ollie Sleightholme, and Tom Collins named in the back three.
James Grayson will look to control the game from fly-half, while Alex Mitchell starts in the No.9 jersey having starred the last time Northampton met Sale – scoring a try and making 73 metres with two clean breaks and four defenders beaten.
Up front, Salakaia-Loto makes his first competitive start for Saints in the engine room, with Alex Coles also packing down in the tight five behind an experienced front row of Alex Waller, Mike Haywood and Paul Hill.
Scott-Young is named at blindside flanker in Northampton’s back row for his first taste of Premiership action, as Aaron Hinkley lines up on the other side of the scrum and Juarno 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%) rounds off the line-up in the No.8 jersey.
Amongst the replacements there is room for England fullback George Furbank, while there are more competitive Saints debuts in store for tighthead prop Alfie Petch and flanker Sam Graham if they enter the action from the bench.
SALE SHARKS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Gallagher Premiership, Round 1
Friday 9 September 2022
Salford Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm
15 Tom Collins
14 Ollie Sleightholme
13 Matt Proctor
12 Fraser Dingwall (c)
11 Courtnall Skosan
10 James Grayson
9 Alex Mitchell
1 Alex Waller
2 Mike Haywood
3 Paul Hill
4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
5 Alex Coles
6 Angus Scott-Young
7 Aaron Hinkley
8 Juarno Augustus
Replacements:
16 Sam Matavesi
17 Emmanuel Iyogun
18 Alfie Petch
19 Alex Moon
20 Sam Graham
21 Tom James
22 Tom Litchfield
23 George Furbank
Not considered for selection:
Dan Biggar, Callum Burns, Tommy Freeman, Joseph Gaffan, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, Rory Hutchinson, Courtney Lawes, Tom Lockett, Lewis Ludlam, Ehren Painter, James Ramm, David Ribbans, Frankie Sleightholme, and Karl Wilkins.
Referee: Tom Foley
Assistant Referees: Andrew Jackson and Wayne Falla
No.4: Jamie Leahy
TMO: Dean Richards
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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