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Five bold possible debutants for the All Blacks in 2026
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Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Gallagher Premiership match between Northampton and Gloucester at Franklin’s Gardens.
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High-flying Northampton will hope to make an immediate recovery from losing to Sale last time out.
Saints are three points above their visitors, but Gloucester head to the East Midlands fresh from a resounding victory over Worcester.
“We were very happy and grateful for the win,” Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann said. “It was one of our better performances, just in the way that we controlled the game in the right areas.
(Continue reading below…)
RugbyPass went behind the scenes with the Barbarians before their recent clash with Wales
“We have to get consistency in our performances, but there were a lot of good things. Apart from last weekend, they (Northampton) have been brilliant so far this season. They’ve got quality players throughout, with guys that can punish you all over the field.”
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Gloucester have made three changes to their starting line-up. The backline sees Charlie Sharples come in for Ollie Thorley while Josh Hohneck and Jamal Ford-Robinson replace Val Rapava-Ruskin and Fraser Balmain respectively in the pack.
‘I was so intimidated I dropped my gumshield. They were shouting all sorts: “You’ve got s*** hair”, “Billy Twelve-d**ks"… I clearly remember thinking: “I never want to play here!”’
– Billy Twelvetrees' first impression of @gloucesterrugby https://t.co/KZIRvI64XJ— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 11, 2019
Saints’ director of rugby Chris Boyd has made just three changes after last weekend’s loss at Sale. Piers Francis, Tom Wood and Francois van Wyk all return to the starting line-up, while Rory Hutchinson and Lewis Ludlam bring up a half-century of appearances for the club.
NORTHAMPTON: 15. George Furbank; 14. Tom Collins, 13. Rory Hutchinson, 12. Piers Francis, 11. Taqele Naiyaravoro; 10. Dan Biggar, 9. Cobus Reinach; 1. Francois van Wyk, 2. Mikey Haywood, 3. Ehren Painter, 4. Alex Moon, 5. Courtney Lawes, 6. Tom Wood, 7. Lewis Ludlam, 8. Teimana Harrison (capt). Reps: 16. Sam Matavesi, 17. Alex Waller, 18. Paul Hill, 19. Api Ratuniyarawa, 20. David Ribbans, 21. Henry Taylor, 22. Andrew Symons, 23. Ahsee Tuala.
GLOUCESTER: 15. Tom Marshall; 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Louis Rees-Zammit; 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Willi Heinz (capt); 1. Josh Hohneck, 2. Franco Marais, 3. Jamal Ford-Robinson, 4. Alex Craig, 5. Franco Mostert, 6. Ruan Ackermann, 7. Lewis Ludlow, 8. Ben Morgan. Reps: 16. Todd Gleave, 17. Alex Seville, 18. Fraser Balmain, 19. Gerbrandt Grobler, 20. Freddie Clarke, 21. Joe Simpson, 22. Billy Twelvetrees, 23. Matt Banahan.
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WATCH: RugbyPass travelled to Brecon to see how life after rugby is treating Andy Powell, one of Wales’ biggest characters on and off the pitch
