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Northampton change entire XV for the visit of Bath, who include long-term absentee Max Clarke
Northampton will line up against Bath on Wednesday with a completely fresh starting XV, as Chris Boyd rotates his side for the vital Gallagher Premiership clash. The Saints director of rugby is putting his faith in Northampton’s entire squad during this demanding block of fixtures with their top-four hopes in the balance.
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Loosehead prop Nick Auterac is poised for his full debut since making the switch to Northampton from Harlequins, lining up in the front row with hooker James Fish and tighthead Owen Franks, while locks David Ribbans and Api Ratuniyarawa complete the tight five.
Club co-captain Teimana Harrison will lead out Saints at No8 jersey on a back row also featuring Courtney Lawes and JJ Tonks both starting in the flanker berths. Dan Biggar returns at No10 with scrum-half Henry Taylor by his side.
Harry Mallinder starts at full-back, with Ahsee Tuala – who scored a spectacular try against London Irish last time out off the bench – and Taqele Naiyaravoro on the wings. English duo Piers Francis and Fraser Dingwall round off the starting XV.
Bath have also made a raft of changes. After scoring his maiden Premiership try last time out versus Leicester, Tom de Glanville comes in for Anthony Watson at full-back in a team that sees Max Clark return from a long-term injury. The centre returns to the starting XV for the first time since the opening day of the 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership campaign in October.
A fabulous finish… and what about that pass from James Grayson ?https://t.co/ztTsZzf5nE
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 22, 2020
Gabriel Hamer-Webb will make his first appearance since facing Ulster away in the final round of the European Champions Cup, replacing Ruaridh McConnochie, who is named as a replacement. Josh Matavesi swaps in for Rhys Priestland, who is named on the bench, and will form a new partnership with Will Chudley, who replaces Ben Spencer at scrum-half.
Beno Obano, Jack Walker and Christian Judge all come in to make up a new front row partnership with Bath Rugby changing the entire forward pack. Will Spencer makes his second debut for the club, having re-joined in June from Leicester Tigers.
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A notable return to the bench sees Miles Reid back into the fold having recovered from an ACL tear on the very first day of the season against Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: 15. Harry Mallinder; 14. Ahsee Tuala, 13. Fraser Dingwall, 12. Piers Francis, 11. Taqele Naiyaravoro; 10. Dan Biggar, 9. Henry Taylor; 1. Nick Auterac, 2. James Fish, 3. Owen Franks, 4. David Ribbans, 5. Api Ratuniyarawa, 6. Courtney Lawes, 7. JJ Tonks, 8. Teimana Harrison (capt). Reps: 16. Sam Matavesi, 17. Francois van Wyk, 18. Ehren Painter, 19. Lewis Bean, 20. Tui Uru, 21. Tom James, 22. Rory Hutchinson, 23. Tommy Freeman.
BATH: 15. Tom de Glanville; 14. Semesa Rokoduguni, 13. Max Clark, 12. Cameron Redpath, 11. Gabriel Hamer-Webb; 10. Josh Matavesi, 9. Will Chudley; 1. Beno Obano, 2. Jack Walker, 3. Christian Judge, 4. Will Spencer, 5. Elliott Stooke, 6. Mike Williams, 7. Josh Bayliss (capt), 8. Zach Mercer. Reps: 16. Tom Dunn, 17. Lewis Boyce, 18. Will Stuart, 19. Charlie Ewels, 20. Miles Reid, 21. Ben Spencer, 22. Rhys Priestland, 23. Ruaridh McConnochie.
"Many Northampton fans didn’t want me & were very outspoken. They assumed I was on mega wedge, not the academy contract that I essentially signed"@jameshaskell on hateful fan sites, I'm a Celebrity edits screwing him; MMA, BLM & more w/@heagneyl ???https://t.co/9SsEeGT790
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 16, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
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