Tug that tail...

By Happywifehappylife
January 25 2019

Northampton Saints’ director of rugby Chris Boyd has made ten changes to his starting XV to face Leicester Tigers this weekend in the Premiership Rugby Cup

A place in the semi-finals is on the line for the men in Black, Green and Gold – with Northampton’s fate in their own hands and a bonus-point victory enough to guarantee a place in the last four of the competition.

After scoring 17 tries last time out against Timisoara Saracens, Boyd will hope the momentum stays with his side as they host their East Midlands rivals at Franklin’s Gardens for the second derby of the season.

Ken Pisi returns on the wing to make his third appearance of the season after recovering from injury, with Tom Collins also coming back into the line-up and fullback George Furbank completing the back three.

Last week’s man-of-the-match Rory Hutchinson is switched to inside centre to make room for Nafi Tuitavake in the midfield; the Tonga international selected for his first Northampton start since the opening match of the Gallagher Premiership campaign.

James Grayson continues in the No.10 shirt after kicking 22 points against Timisoara, but Cobus Reinach comes back into the team to partner him at scrum-half.

Northampton’s pack contains six changes, with only Dom Barrow – who faces his former side for the first time as a Saint – and Jamie Gibson retained from last week's win.

Francois van Wyk, James Fish and Ben Franks come in to make up a new-look front row, while lock Api Ratuniyarawa joins Barrow in the engine room, and Heinrich Brüssow and skipper Teimana Harrison round off the XV.

Meanwhile amongst the replacements, England international James Haskell is in line to make his return to action for the first time since October should he be introduced off the bench

Northampton Saints

15 George Furbank
14 Ken Pisi
13 Nafi Tuitavake
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Tom Collins
10 James Grayson
9 Cobus Reinach

1 Francois van Wyk
2 James Fish
3 Ben Franks
4 Api Ratuniyarawa
5 Dom Barrow
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Heinrich Brüssow
8 Teimana Harrison (c)

Replacements:
16 Reece Marshall
17 Will Davis
18 Ehren Painter
19 Alex Moon
20 James Haskell
21 Charlie Davies
22 Ahsee Tuala
23 Andrew Kellaway

Not available for selection:
Andy Symons (knee), Harry Mallinder (knee), Tom Emery (shoulder), Mikey Haywood (knee), Dylan Hartley (knee), and Piers Francis (shoulder).

Head over T'Offy for more details & tickets

Teams Up: Saints v Tigs PRC Sat 26th Jan KO 3pm

Discussion started by Marching On , 25/01/2019 19:55

Marching On
25/01/2019 19:55

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tedge
25/01/2019 11:59

Furbank
Pisi
Tuitavake
Hutchinson
Collins

Grayson
Reinach

Van Wyk
Fish
Franks
Ratuniyarawa
Barrow
Gibson
Brussow
Harrison (Capt)


Marshall, Davis, Painter Moon, Haskell, Davies, Tuala, Kellaway



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:01:25:12:00:35 by tedge.

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SaintsAsh
25/01/2019 12:03

Decent team.

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St Marcus
25/01/2019 12:06

And Tigers:

15 Jordan Olowofela

14 Leonardo Sarto

13 Sam Aspland-Robinson

12 Tom Hardwick

11 Tom Varndell

10 Joe Ford

9 Ben White

1 Facundo Gigena

2 Ross McMillan

3 Joe Heyes

4 Sam Lewis

5 Harry Wells (c)

6 Tommy Reffell

7 Will Evans

8 Fred Tuilagi



Replacements

16 Harry Mahohey

17 Campese Ma’afu

18 David Feao

19 Cameron Jordan

20 Taylor Gough

21 Jonny Law

22 Curtis Wilson

23 Freddie Steward

We look considerably nearer to full strength. Hopefully a good derby victory coming up. If we do get 5 points and win well, we'll put ourselves in the mix for a home semi. COYS!!!

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brancastersaint
25/01/2019 12:12

Making the trip over from Brancaster tomorrow with friends in the enemy camp, got a good feel about this, a BP win against Tigers would push the whole squad on for the remainder of the season
lets hope T keeps himself on the paddock as he's captain again
COYS!!!!

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Saint Stokey
25/01/2019 12:19

Its crazy to think that we no longer have a distinct Wandies or First Team.

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SaintsAsh
25/01/2019 12:49

Both Mcmillan and Campo back at the gardens.

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SaintsEdward
25/01/2019 12:55

Quote:

Saint Stokey
Its crazy to think that we no longer have a distinct Wandies or First Team.

Absolutely agree, so pleased with the opportunity everyone is getting. The success of the Wandies in the past has highlighted our failing as a first team. You could even see a "them and us" stance on social media at times.

Credit where credit is due, Boyd seems to really be building for future. I not going to say we'll win the league, but the blue prints are there to develop a success academy and bring home grown talent through.

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NGSB
25/01/2019 12:58

As I see it, Saints need a five point win to get in the mix for a home s/f. We do not want Chiefs to get anything more than four points at Bristol as I think Wuss will get all five at home to Wasps. Thère are other permutations !

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riverlodge
25/01/2019 13:22

Congrats Tei!

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Saintfanh
25/01/2019 14:32

Great looking team. Good to see Tuitavake and Pisi both back but integrated with the young backs and great to see Tei as captain, thoroughly deserved. Tigers back 3 looks good so will be interesting test of our younger combination.

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St Marcus
25/01/2019 14:37

Quote:

Houghton Saint
As I see it, Saints need a five point win to get in the mix for a home s/f. We do not want Chiefs to get anything more than four points at Bristol as I think Wuss will get all five at home to Wasps. Thère are other permutations !

Just had a look at the respective Bristol and Exeter sides. Bristol to me look fairly near full strength, Exeter more mixed and are playing very inexperienced half backs. Hope Bristol can do us a favour.

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Saint.Kenneth
25/01/2019 14:53

Everyone involved with the Wanderers deserve a lot of praise as they have instilled such a positive attitude in these young lads. I can’t think of a single occasion this season when one of these players hasn’t shone when given the chance to play. They have such confidence and belief in themselves and you can easily see international honours in their futures.

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jimusjones
25/01/2019 14:56

How many of these would we say are first team starters?

Collins, Reinach, Gibson, Harrison (Capt)?

The rest being a mixture of first team benchers (in the forwards particularly) and youth.

Would of liked to have seen what Mitch Eadie could do and Mitchel starting at 9.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:01:25:15:11:16 by jimusjones.

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Saint Maul
25/01/2019 15:58

Great to see Pisi and Haskell back and hearing Craig is about to return too. The only two positions where further injuries could mean needing injury cover are fly half and hooker. But we've coped admirably well through a lot of injuries and the youngsters have shone. Surprised we are risking Reinach.

On paper we really should win. But a young Tigers team in a derby with nothing to lose could make it tasty! The Tigers forum are despondent about their team's chances

Is it on TV?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:01:25:16:05:08 by SaintMaul.

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Wilson Pickett
25/01/2019 16:12

on paper we should tonk them, and I hope we do

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HRsaints fan
25/01/2019 16:42

SM
BT are showing the Bristol vs Exeter game. Hopefully we will get some decent highlights at some point.

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Saint Dom in Hanoi
25/01/2019 17:39

Joe Ford, Ross McMillan and Campese Ma’afu are all ex-Saints, returning to the Gardens.

Where they will meet former Tigers, Barrow and Gibson.

They will all be ‘up for it’, as they say...


*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*

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Tom Paine
25/01/2019 19:50

Lurve your ...cough… Development Team. Hope they won't be too hard on our little boys.

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Wilson Pickett
26/01/2019 05:35

Quote:

Tom Paine
Lurve your ...cough… Development Team. Hope they won't be too hard on our little boys.

We are consistently the top 1 or 2 reserve league side for a reason (and arguably the cap should be more spent on the core first team than wider squad) but it does mean we have depth.

Plus frankly it’s very important psychologically to win games right now, and to beat our bigger local rivals. I think it’s an error on your part. So I applaud the selection, no mercy!

enjoy the game, interested to look out for some of your younger talent whilst Evans vs Brussouw should be fun

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Longers
26/01/2019 18:23

Interested to understand the route Tom Hardwick followed to rock up at the roundabout.

Apparently he is from Olney? He's not the first from there to play for Tigers, either.

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Stopsy
26/01/2019 19:14

His younger brother is with us Tigers too, presumably his Dad thought Tigers academy was a good bet at the time

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Ayerzawannabe
26/01/2019 19:42

Went to rugby school, which is a school that Tigers look at (Him and Jonny Law our academy 9 on the bench today are from Rugby).

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Longers
27/01/2019 07:55

Thanks Stopsy, Ayerzawannabe.

Will have to have a word with the committee at Olney. Club history should tell them. Only one club to feed.

Should know better!

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