England star withdrawn late by Northampton Saints

Northampton Saints have announced a late change to their matchday squad ahead of their Gallagher Premiership Round 10 clash with Bath at cinch Stadium.

England star Ollie Sleightholme has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury sustained in the lead-up to the fixture. As a result, Tom Seabrook has been drafted onto the bench and will wear the No. 23 jersey for the 3pm kick-off.

Premiership champs Northampton Saints sit eighth in the table as it stands, with four wins and five losses, amassing 20 points.

Saints confirmed that long-serving scrum coach Matt Ferguson will depart Franklin’s Gardens at the end of the season, with Wales reportedly eyeing him for a key coaching role.

Ferguson joined the club seven years ago after coaching England Women to the 2017 Rugby World Cup final. His departure comes as Saints look to rebuild for the future.

Wales, reeling from a record 12 straight losses in 2024, are seeking fresh ideas under head coach Warren Gatland. Ferguson could join a revamped setup for the Six Nations, potentially combining roles with Saints during the Premiership break. However, he faces competition from Harlequins’ Adam Jones, who remains under contract, and former Munster coach Graham Rowntree.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs BATH RUGBY

15 George Hendy

14 Tommy Freeman

13 Fraser Dingwall (c)

12 Rory Hutchinson

11 James Ramm

10 Fin Smith

9 Alex Mitchell

1 Tom West

2 Curtis Langdon

3 Trevor Davison

4 Temo Mayanavanua

5 Alex Coles

6 Josh Kemeny

7 Tom Pearson

8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements:

16 Henry Walker

17 Tarek Haffar

18 Luke Green

19 Tom Lockett

20 Henry Pollock

21 Angus Scott-Young

22 Archie McParland

23 Tom Seabrook