Northampton Saints v Gloucester: Full team news for Saturday's game at the Gardens

Saints are without a host of first-team regulars for Saturday's crucial Gallagher Premiership clash with Gloucester at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens (kick-off 2.45pm).
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

With Paul Hill, Juarno Augustus, Tom James, Matt Proctor and George Furbank added to the unavailable list this week, Saints make a total of seven changes to the team that beat Sale Sharks 38-34 last Saturday.

Sam Graham replaces Augustus at No.8, Callum Braley fills the James void at scrum-half, Rory Hutchinson comes in for Proctor at centre and Tom Collins is in for Furbank, meaning James Ramm reverts to full-back.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With Fin Smith, who suffered a dead leg last weekend, only on the bench, James Grayson starts at fly-half.

Tom Collins starts against GloucesterTom Collins starts against Gloucester
Tom Collins starts against Gloucester

The injured Hill is replaced by Ehren Painter at tighthead.

Alex Coles replaces Aaron Hinkley in the back row, with Angus Scott-Young moving from six to seven. Hinkley is on the bench against his former side.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is also among the replacements as he has now completed the suspension he picked up for a sending off against La Rochelle last month.

Jake Garside, who will make his Premiership debut should he get on, is another player who will be on the Saints bench, with the speedy 20-year-old scrum-half providing back-up for Braley.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Saints are without England trio Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam and Alex Mitchell.

Gloucester have no such selection issues this weekend with only wing Louis Rees-Zammit, who will start for Wales against England, on international duty.

The Cherry and Whites are able to name an unchaged team from the 28-26 win against Harlequins last Friday, with Billy Twelvetrees taking Rees-Zammit's place on the bench.

Saints: Ramm; Freeman; Dingwall (c), Hutchinson, Collins; Grayson, Braley; A Waller, R Smith, Painter; Ribbans, Moon; Coles, Scott-Young, Graham.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Replacements: Cruse, E Waller, Petch, Salakaia-Loto, Hinkley, Garside, F Smith, Skosan.

Gloucester: Evans; May, Harris, S Atkinson, Thorley; Carreras, Meehan; Rapava-Ruskin, Blake, Gotovtsev; Clarke, Alemanno; Ackermann, Ludlow, Tuisue (c).

Replacements: Walker, Elrington, Ford-Robinson, Jordan, Clement, Chapman, Twelvetrees, Seabrook.