NEWS: Teams Up: Aviva Premiership Round 16 Exeter v Saints
By Happywifehappylife
February 23 2018
The team is up as Saints head down Sandy Park with kick off at 2pm on Saturday 24th February 2018
Harry Mallinder and David Ribbans both come back into Northampton Saints’ starting line-up this Saturday, as the men in Black, Green and Gold travel to Exeter Chiefs. The Saints make just the two changes for the trip to Sandy Park to take on the reigning Aviva Premiership champions, after coming from behind to beat London Irish last weekend.
Harry Mallinder lines up at fullback for the first time since December, having worn the No.10 jersey on his last three starts for Saints. The 21-year-old was released by England earlier in the week after training with Eddie Jones’ Red Rose squad during their preparations to take on Scotland. David Ribbans comes into the engine room to join skipper Christian Day in the only other change to Saints’ starting XV, with the front row of Campese Ma’afu, Mikey Haywood, Kieran Brookes lining up together again.
Heinrich Brüssow makes his first appearance away from home in the Black, Green and Gold – with the in-form Jamie Gibson and last week’s man-of-the-match Teimana Harrison making up the rest of the back row. Piers Francis and Nic Groom remain in the half-back berths, while Ahsee Tuala switches to the wing with George North away on Wales international duty.
And Michael Paterson is the only change to the replacements for Saints as technical coaching consultant Alan Gaffney and interim head coach Alan Dickens stick with largely the same formula that came good against Irish at Franklin’s Gardens. “Exeter are a team that you know will play and play, looking after the ball more than other teams, and they will always try to have the most possession,” said Dickens. “They have a great squad and Sandy Park is a tough place to go. I know this week will be no different – we’ve already been there once this season in the Anglo-Welsh Cup. “But there were a lot of positive signs when we played them back in December at Franklin’s Gardens, so it’s a challenge that we are looking forward to.”
EXETER CHIEFS 15 Lachie Turner 14 Ian Whitten 13 Ollie Devoto 12 Sam Hill 11 Olly Woodburn 10 Gareth Steenson (capt) 9 Will Chudley 1 Alec Hepburn 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie 3 Greg Holmes 4 Sam Skinner 5 Jonny Hill 6 Don Armand 7 Julian Salvi 8 Thomas Waldrom Replacements: 16 Jack Innard 17 Ben Moon 18 Marcus Street 19 Mitch Lees 20 Matt Kvesic 21 Stu Townsend 22 Joe Simmonds 23 Phil Dollman
SAINTS 15 Harry Mallinder 14 Ahsee Tuala 13 Rob Horne 12 Luther Burrell 11 Ben Foden 10 Piers Francis 9 Nic Groom 1 Campese Ma’afu 2 Mikey Haywood 3 Kieran Brookes 4 David Ribbans 5 Christian Day (capt) 6 Jamie Gibson 7 Heinrich Brüssow 8 Teimana Harrison Replacements: 16 Reece Marshall 17 Francois van Wyk 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson 19 Michael Paterson 20 Tom Wood 21 Cobus Reinach 22 Stephen Myler 23 Nafi Tuitavake
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Mallinder
Tuala
Horne
Burrell
Foden
Francis
Groom
Ma'afu
Haywood
Brookes
Ribbans
Day
Gibson
Brussow
Harrison
Marshall
Van Wyk
Ford-Robinson
Paterson
Wood
Reinach
Myler
Tuitavake
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018:02:23:11:58:39 by tedge.
Francis at 10 concerns me greatly though it may help having Mallinder at 15 who can come in to the 10 position at points during the game to direct matters.
Day is a player that is beginning to concern me. Whilst he's consistant and dependable, i'm not sure that he's got the fitness for 80 minutes flat out. Recently, he's looked shattered.
Whilst i'm delighted that he's given everything, players should be fit enough to be able to last at least 90 minutes, not just 80. I don't think Daisy can offer that much longer. I'd also question Api's ability to do so at the moment, so it means we either have a knackered lock, or we shoehorn a backrow in as a lock, or have no proper back row replacement.
Other than that, the selection is what it is. nothing to get really excited about anymore. Its more of a matter of what type of team turns up when the whistle blows.
Quote:fleetg
So no wingers on the wing .... astounding.
Indeed, it looks like a selection where they’ve tried to shoe-horn the best players into the side. I thought Ace was excellent at 15 last week....
Still, Chiefs have a big but quite old and slow back row. I have a feeling this game is made for Brussow.
At Exeter the main job for our wingers will be defence. Woodman will be coming down our right wing and Steenson will bombing kicks in a swirling breeze.Play a speedster at home. Horses for courses.
Whether you would want (vs could) is the modern game finishers question - do fresh legs make it a better game ??