Premiership
Smith, Ribbans and Freeman all return for Saints against Sale
Fin Smith, David Ribbans and Tommy Freeman all return from international duty to start for Northampton Saints in this weekend’s Gallagher Premiership clash against Sale Sharks.Fourth hosts second in the league on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, with the men in Black, Green and Gold looking to stay inside the play-off places with a victory on home soil.Saints have lost just once in Northampton in this season’s Premiership, and enter this weekend’s match leading the competition in tries, assists, offloads, defenders beaten, clean breaks and gainline success. However, the Sharks have won on three of their last five trips to the Gardens and have proved an extremely tough nut to crack this term, winning ten of their 13 matches so far.Phil Dowson’s side are boosted by the returns of Smith, Ribbans and Freeman – who all come straight into the side after being released by England earlier this week.Smith starts at fly-half for Northampton and will partner scrum-half Tom James, with Fraser Dingwall – another welcome returnee in the hosts’ midfield after a two-game suspension – lining up alongside Matt Proctor.Freeman is named on the wing, while the in-form James Ramm (who has won back-to-back cinch Player of the Month awards for the Club) keeps his place and skipper George Furbank switches to fullback to round off the backline.Juarno Augustus has made more metres (493) with ball in hand than any other forward in this season’s Premiership so far, and is named at No.8 – with Angus Scott-Young and Aaron Hinkley joining him in Saints’ back row.Northampton opt for a front row of Alex Waller (making his 250th appearance in the Gallagher Premiership), Paul Hill and hooker Robbie Smith, and Ribbans slots into the engine room alongside Alex Moon. The tight five will be looking to halt a Sale pack which has produced the most maul tries and won the most scrum penalties in the competition this season.Amongst the replacements for Saints, Tom Collins is set for his first Premiership appearance since early January, while the likes of Rory Hutchinson, Sam Graham and Alex Coles will also be hoping to make an impact off the bench.NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs SALE SHARKSGallagher Premiership Rugby, Round 17Saturday 18 February 2023cinch Stadium at Franklin’s GardensKick-off: 3pm15 George Furbank (c)14 Tommy Freeman13 Matt Proctor12 Fraser Dingwall11 James Ramm10 Fin Smith9 Tom James1 Alex Waller – 250th Gallagher Premiership appearance2 Robbie Smith3 Paul Hill4 David Ribbans5 Alex Moon6 Angus Scott-Young7 Aaron Hinkley8 Juarno AugustusReplacements:16 Tom Cruse17 Ethan Waller18 Alfie Petch19 Alex Coles20 Sam Graham21 Callum Braley22 Rory Hutchinson23 Tom CollinsNot considered for selection:Callum Burns, Joseph Gaffan, Mike Haywood, Emmanuel Iyogun, Joel Matavesi, Sam Matavesi, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Ollie Sleightholme.International Duty:Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, and Alex Mitchell (all England).SALE SHARKS TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Sam James, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Arron Reed, 10 Rob Du Preez, 9 Gus Warr; 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Ewan Ashman, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Cobus Wiese, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Jono Ross (c), 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jean-Luc Du PreezReplacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Josh Beaumont, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Raffi Quirke, 22 George Ford, 23 Tom RoebuckReferee: Ian TempestAssistant referees: Nick Wood and Jamie LeahyNo.4: Gregg DawsonTMO: Claire Hodnett
Fin Smith, David Ribbans and Tommy Freeman all return from international duty to start for Northampton Saints in this weekend’s Gallagher Premiership clash against Sale Sharks.
Fourth hosts second in the league on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, with the men in Black, Green and Gold looking to stay inside the play-off places with a victory on home soil.
Saints have lost just once in Northampton in this season’s Premiership, and enter this weekend’s match leading the competition in tries, assists, offloads, defenders beaten, clean breaks and gainline success. However, the Sharks have won on three of their last five trips to the Gardens and have proved an extremely tough nut to crack this term, winning ten of their 13 matches so far.
Phil Dowson’s side are boosted by the returns of Smith, Ribbans and Freeman – who all come straight into the side after being released by England earlier this week.
Smith starts at fly-half for Northampton and will partner scrum-half Tom James, with Fraser Dingwall – another welcome returnee in the hosts’ midfield after a two-game suspension – lining up alongside Matt Proctor.
Freeman is named on the wing, while the in-form James Ramm (who has won back-to-back cinch Player of the Month awards for the Club) keeps his place and skipper George Furbank switches to fullback to round off the backline.
Juarno Augustus has made more metres (493) with ball in hand than any other forward in this season’s Premiership so far, and is named at No.8 – with Angus Scott-Young and Aaron Hinkley joining him in Saints’ back row.
Northampton opt for a front row of Alex Waller (making his 250th appearance in the Gallagher Premiership), Paul Hill and hooker Robbie Smith, and Ribbans slots into the engine room alongside Alex Moon. The tight five will be looking to halt a Sale pack which has produced the most maul tries and won the most scrum penalties in the competition this season.
Amongst the replacements for Saints, Tom Collins is set for his first Premiership appearance since early January, while the likes of Rory Hutchinson, Sam Graham and Alex Coles will also be hoping to make an impact off the bench.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs SALE SHARKS
Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Round 17
Saturday 18 February 2023
cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 3pm
15 George Furbank (c)
14 Tommy Freeman
13 Matt Proctor
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 James Ramm
10 Fin Smith
9 Tom James
1 Alex Waller – 250th Gallagher Premiership appearance
2 Robbie Smith
3 Paul Hill
4 David Ribbans
5 Alex Moon
6 Angus Scott-Young
7 Aaron Hinkley
8 Juarno Augustus
Replacements:
16 Tom Cruse
17 Ethan Waller
18 Alfie Petch
19 Alex Coles
20 Sam Graham
21 Callum Braley
22 Rory Hutchinson
23 Tom Collins
Not considered for selection:
Callum Burns, Joseph Gaffan, Mike Haywood, Emmanuel Iyogun, Joel Matavesi, Sam Matavesi, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Ollie Sleightholme.
International Duty:
Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, and Alex Mitchell (all England).
SALE SHARKS TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Sam James, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Arron Reed, 10 Rob Du Preez, 9 Gus Warr; 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Ewan Ashman, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Cobus Wiese, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Jono Ross (c), 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jean-Luc Du Preez
Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Josh Beaumont, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Raffi Quirke, 22 George Ford, 23 Tom Roebuck
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant referees: Nick Wood and Jamie Leahy
No.4: Gregg Dawson
TMO: Claire Hodnett
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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