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Biggar in Northampton line-up against Saracens XV featuring ban-served Skelton

By Online Editors
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Dan Biggar is back in the Northampton starting line-up a week after featuring for Wales in their round three Guinness Six Nations loss to France in Cardiff. 

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The out-half managed to safely negotiate the 80 minutes at the Principality Stadium having recovered from the round two concussion suffered in the defeat to Ireland in Dublin. 

Biggar is restored to the Northampton No10 jersey in place of James Grayson, who is rested following a head injury assessment in last weekend’s Gallagher Premiership loss at Exeter.

Rory Hutchinson and Cobus Reinach also return to Saints’ starting line-up to take on Saracens at Franklin’s Gardens.

Following a last-gasp 27-25 win at Allianz Park on the opening day of this campaign, the hosts are gunning for their first season’s double over the Londoners in the Premiership since the 2014-15 season.

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Director of rugby Chris Boyd has made five changes from the side that lost to the Chiefs, all of the alterations coming in the backline.

Biggar and Reinach form the half-backs, while Hutchinson returns from Scotland duty to play at inside centre with Fraser Dingwall – selected in England’s wider Six Nations squad – outside him in the midfield.

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In the back three, Harry Mallinder has recovered from a slight hamstring injury to take his place at full-back, with Taqele Naiyaravoro and Ahsee Tuala lining up on the wings.

Ben Earl and Nick Tompkins return for Saracens. The duo became the latest academy graduates to earn caps for their respective countries – England and Wales – and slot in at openside flanker and inside centre respectively.

Winger Rotimi Segun has been reinstated on the flank while experienced Richard Wigglesworth is back at scrum-half.

Following a four-week suspension, Will Skelton comes into the second row to partner Callum Hunter-Hill and USA prop Titi Lamositele replaces Springbok Vincent Koch at tighthead

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NORTHAMPTON: 15 Harry Mallinder; 14 Ahsee Tuala, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Cobus Reinach; 1 Francois van Wyk, 2 James Fish, 3 Paul Hill, 4 Alex Coles, 5 Lewis Bean, 6 Tom Wood, 7 JJ Tonks, 8 Teimana Harrison (capt). Reps: 16 Reece Marshall, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Ben Glynn, 20 Mitch Eadie, 21 Henry Taylor, 22 Andrew Symons, 23 Matt Proctor.

SARACENS: 15 Alex Goode; 14 Rotimi Segun, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Alex Lewington; 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 1 Richard Barrington, 2 Jack Singleton, 3 Titi Lamositele, 4 Will Skelton, 5 Callum Hunter-Hill, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Jackson Wray (capt). Reps: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Joel Kpoku, 20 Calum Clark, 21 Alex Day, 22 Dom Morris, 23 Matt Gallagher. 

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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