NEWS: TEAMS UP NORTHAMPTON SAINTS VS ULSTER
By Saint Ted
August 24 2017
The Northampton Saints team has been announced for Friday night's game with Ulster - the final outing of pre-season at Franklin's Gardens. Having made his first appearance of the season in last weekend's win over Glasgow, Dylan Hartley will lead the team out, while Courtney Lawes is in line for some game time from the bench, fresh from his Lions summer. Piers Francis misses Friday's game due to an injury sustained to his jaw in Stirling last weekend, and will almost certainly miss the start of the Aviva Premiership season. Meanwhile Stephen Myler is progressing well and is expected to be in action in the next few weeks.
SAINTS TEAM TO PLAY ULSTER
Pre-season 2017/18
Franklin's Gardens
Friday, August 25th, 2017
Kick off 7:30pm
15 Ahsee Tuala
14 Ben Foden
13 Luther Burrell
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Tom Collins
10 Harry Mallinder
9 Nic Groom
1 Alex Waller
2 Dylan Hartley (capt)
3 Kieran Brookes
4 David Ribbans
5 Christian Day
6 Teimana Harrison
7 Lewis Ludlam
8 Mitch Eadie
Replacements
Forwards - Campese Ma'afu, Mikey Haywood, Paul Hill, Courtney Lawes, James Craig, Jamie Gibson, Sam Dickinson, Ben Nutley
Backs - Alex Mitchell, James Grayson, Ken Pisi, Tom Stephenson, Nafi Tuitavake, Jamie Elliott, George Furbank, Juan Pablo Estelles
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any news on Wood?
Quote:SaintNice
Probably quite close to the team we'll see Vs Saracens on the first day of the season. Looks good to me as long as Harry can step up to fly half duties.
Only one new recruit (Eadie) to me doesn't augur at all well for the opening three fixtures
Quote:groom, harry and luther. maybe ashee tooSaint.Kenneth
What a worryingly poor backline. If all of them were at the end of their contracts, how many would court interest from the likes of Sarries, Bath, Wasps and Tigers for starting spots in their sides?
Harry is supposed to be the messiah - but either way, has a whole extra season more than the Bath game he started last season under his belt.. plus tackling at 10 he can get more support than exposed at 12/13
Slot in North and that's a decent backline - add Horne, better - add either Stephen (wet weather) or Piers (dry pitch) and better still
Icing on the cake with more class at 9 and its not all bad..
Up front looks like we know what Woody / Jamie can do - so its taking another look at Lewis vs TH and another game for Mitch to get up to speed
Courts / Ribbans for the physical lock slot - Daisy / JC for the lineout slot (until Woody / Jamie are both able to start)
Api is where though and I thought Patterson had a decent early run out so where's he gone?
Most important thing - no injuries pls!
North was injured on the Lions tour, Myler injured, Francis injured, Horne not at the club yet, Reinach also not at the club yet.
So Tigers, Sarries, Wasps and Bath would choose as their STARTING players...
Groom over Ben Youngs, Wigglesworth, Robson/Simpson and Kahn?
Harry over Cipriani, Farrell, Ford and Burns?
Luther over.. Gopperth, Daly, Joseph, Tuilagi, Barritt, Lozowski, toomua, Eastmond and Tapuai?
Ahsee over.. Veainu, LeRoux, Williams, Goode and Watson?
I thought we wanted to be challenging for the Premiership not just making up the numbers? Nobody would be more delighted to be proven wrong than me, but some people need a sense of reality as well as blind support.