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Lewis Ludlam returns from injury to captain new-look Northampton
By Josh Raisey
England flanker Lewis Ludlam is set to return from a two-month absence tomorrow when he captains Northampton Saints against Newcastle Falcons at Franklin's Gardens in the Gallagher Premiership.
The 28-year-old picked up an ankle injury against Harlequins in November, and has since been on the sidelines as the Saints have gone on an eight-match winning run (nine including the win over Quins), where they have reached the top of the league and secured a home tie in the Investec Champions Cup round of 16.
During his absence, Ludlam also missed out on Steve Borthwick's England squad for the Guinness Six Nations, but has seen seven of his teammates (Alex Coles, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Alex Mitchell, Tom Pearson and Fin Smith) make the squad- and rightfully so given their form. As a result, he will captain a much-changed Saints side against bottom of the league Newcastle, which will see Gabriel Hamer-Webb make his debut after signing a short-term deal last week.
This match provides Ludlam an opportunity to send a statement to Borthwick ahead of an extended break for Premiership sides during the Six Nations. With Saints teammate Courtney Lawes retiring after the World Cup, Tom Curry out for the season, Jack Willis ineligible and Billy Vunipola not selected, England's back row is much changed this year, which means the experience of Ludlam may be what Borthwick is after at some stage.
Northampton Saints XV
15 Rory Hutchinson
14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb
13 Burger Odendaal
12 Tom Litchfield
11 Ollie Sleightholme
10 Charlie Savala
9 Tom James
1 Alex Waller
2 Sam Matavesi
3 Trevor Davison
4 Temo Mayanavanua
5 Chunya Munga
6 Courtney Lawes
7 Lewis Ludlam (c)
8 Sam Graham
Replacements
16 Robbie Smith
17 Tarek Haffar
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Alex Moon
20 Juarno Augustus
21 Angus Scott-Young
22 Callum Braley
23 Joel Matavesi
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Latest Comments
The match experience still sucks at SR games, irrespective of the game being a little quicker. Rugby has to compete with so much in the modern world, if you’re going to get people to leave their houses and pay to watch a game in winter then the experience has to be worthwhile.
Go to commentsIt’s a good, timely wake up call for NZ Rugby (seem to be a few of them lately!) - sort out the bureaucratic nonsense at board level. We can’t expect to stay the number one option without keeping fans/players engaged. We’ve obviously been bleeding players to league for years but can’t let the floodgates open (although I think this headline is hyperbolic as it’s a result of a recent Warriors pathways system where they are tracking things more closely) Understand the need to focus boys on rugby if they’re at a proud rugby school too, don’t think it’s harsh at all re Barakat in Hamilton. Reward the committed players with squad positions. An elite 1st XV system in NZ has done more for league than they even realise, think it’s good to protect our game further.
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