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Chris Boyd follows through on promise, making 8 changes for Northampton trip to Leinster
By Online Editors
Chris Boyd has followed through on his claim that he would rest some star names and play youngsters instead as he has made eight changes to his Northampton side for Saturday's Champions Cup assignment at Leinster. Speaking on BT Sport in the wake of last week's agonising round one loss at home to Bordeaux, Boyd candidly admitted he would likely send an understrength team to Dublin.
"I'm not worried about the Premiership for now but with the way this new European structure is with pools of three, particularly when you're on the back end of the seeding like we were, seeded against Bordeaux and Leinster, I think you have got to win three games out of four to hope to go through so we will probably change tack and give some youngsters a run next week and give some boys a rest."
His admission was widely criticised after a weekend in which English clubs won just two of the eight Champions Cup opening round matches they were involved in, but Boyd has stuck to his plan by selecting just seven of the Northampton starters versus Bordeaux to start again in Ireland amid the backdrop of a twelve-match losing streak.
Regular full-back George Furbank switches from full-back to out-half in place of Dan Biggar, who is said to have a knee injury. Tom Collins comes in at No15 while the three other backline changes see Ryan Olowofela, Fraser Dingwall and Tom James chosen instead of Ahsee Tuala, Matt Proctor and Alex Mitchell.
There are four changes to the pack. Skipper Alex Waller and Paul Hill come in at prop for Nick Auterac and Owen Franks, while Alex Moon and Api Ratuniyarawa take over at second row with Dave Ribbans rested and Nick Isiekwe switching to blindside instead of Courtney Lawes.
NORTHAMPTON (vs Leinster, Saturday)
15 Tom Collins
14 Ryan Olowofela
13 Fraser Dingwall
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Taqele Naiyaravoro
10 George Furbank
9 Tom James
1 Alex Waller (capt)
2 Sam Matavesi
3 Paul Hill
4 Alex Moon
5 Api Ratuniyarawa
6 Nick Isiekwe
7 Tom Wood
8 Shaun Adendorff
Replacements:
16 Mikey Haywood
17 Francois van Wyk
18 Owen Franks
19 Alex Coles
20 Teimana Harrison
21 Henry Taylor
22 Piers Francis
23 Matt Proctor
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Latest Comments
This is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
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