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Latest Northampton update on 'up in the air' Alex Mitchell absence
By Liam Heagney
The wait-and-see game at Northampton over the neck injury that has sidelined Alex Mitchell is continuing as the Saints claim there is yet no definite timeline as to when he might play again.
Steve Borthwick’s first-choice England scrum-half was originally set to play against Bedford in Northampton’s final pre-season outing on September 13. He had been named in the starting team but was a no-show come kick-off and has since missed Northampton’s opening two Premiership matches.
He will again be marked absent when Harlequins visit cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens this Friday night in round three. Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson was vague after last Saturday’s win over Exeter about the Mitchell prognosis, saying: “He saw the specialist on Thursday and so we are hoping to get a bit more clarity on that in the next week or so.”
Dowson was a bit more forthcoming with information at his midweek media briefing but still in the dark as regards a comeback date. He explained: “He has had scans, he has had some treatment and we are just waiting to see if that treatment is sufficient to get him going again.
“It’s wait and see at the moment. There is genuinely no timeline because it could be anything at the moment. It’s up in the air so it’s hard to make a short-term plan or a long-term plan when you don’t have that information.
“But he is feeling a bit better on the back of some time off. I think he’s probably bored more than anything else, but he is also a bit frustrated because there is no timeline to work to.
“He came in one morning and he had a very sore neck. We obviously had the specialist look at it, and what you don’t want to do is mess around with it.”
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Latest Comments
Hopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
Go to commentsNot surprised to see Barretts rating. He has always been a solid defender for the ABs but not particularly effective in attack situations.
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