James Ramm racks up a half-century of appearances for Northampton Saints this weekend, as the men in Black, Green and Gold travel to Leicester Tigers on Saturday (1 February, kick-off: 3pm).
The 27-year-old – who debuted for Northampton back in 2022 – hits the milestone in Round 4 of the Premiership Rugby Cup, where Saints look to extend their unbeaten run in the competition this season.
Saints sit top of Pool B having defeated both Tigers and Nottingham on home soil in the competition’s opening rounds, before securing a hard-fought win away at Coventry in Round 3.
And Northampton will look to remain without loss as they make the trip to Mattioli Woods Welford Road, hoping to replicate their 31-12 victory over their Midlands rivals earlier in the tournament.
Having featured in all three of Saints’ earlier Cup clashes, Angus Scott-Young takes the captaincy for the men in Black, Green and Gold in Leicester – leading Northampton out for the second time in his career.
The Australian starts at blindside flanker in Round 4, alongside openside Fyn Brown and No.8 Juarno Augustus in Northampton’s back row.
In front of them, locks Ed Prowse and Callum Hunter-Hill man Saints’ engine room, while props Tarek Haffar and Luke Green join hooker Henry Walker in the front row.
Scrum-half Tom James starts for Saints for the seventh time this season to partner fly-half George Makepeace-Cubitt in the half-backs for the clash against Tigers.
Billy Pasco makes his first start in Black, Green and Gold in Saints’ centres, joining Charlie Savala there in Leicester – while Tom Seabrook, Will Glister and half-centurion Ramm form Northampton’s back three to complete the starting line-up.
Saints name a mixture of experience and youth on their bench, with the likes of Tom West, Elliot Millar Mills and Tom Lockett joining youngsters Jonny Weimann and Rafe Witheat amongst the replacements in Leicester.
LEICESTER TIGERS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Saturday 1 February, 2025
Premiership Rugby Cup, Round 4
Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Kick-off: 3pm
15 James Ramm – 50th Saints appearance
14 Will Glister
13 Billy Pasco
12 Charlie Savala
11 Tom Seabrook
10 George Makepeace-Cubitt
9 Tom James
1 Tarek Haffar
2 Henry Walker
3 Luke Green
4 Ed Prowse
5 Callum Hunter-Hill
6 Angus Scott-Young (c)
7 Fyn Brown
8 Juarno Augustus
Replacements:
16 Craig Wright
17 Tom West
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Tom Lockett
20 Archie Benson
21 Jonny Weimann
22 Rafe Witheat
23 Jake Garside
Not available for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Alex Coles, George Furbank, Sam Graham, George Hendy, Emmanuel Iyogun, Tom Litchfield, Chunya Munga, Burger Odendaal, Toby Thame, and Robbie Smith.
International duty:
Rory Hutcinson (Scotland), Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Curtis Langdon, Alex Mitchell, Ollie Sleightholme, and Fin Smith (all England), Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, Henry Pollock, Archie McParland and Ollie Scola (England U20s) and Reuben Logan (Scotland U20s).
TIGERS TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Will Wand, 10 Ben Volavola, 9 Ben Youngs (c); 1 James Whitcombe, 2 Charlie Clare, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Tom Manz, 5 Côme Joussain, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Emeka Ilione, 8 Kyle Hatherell.
Replacements: 16 Finn Theobald-Thomas, 17 James Cronin, 18 Tim Hoyt, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Finn Carnduff, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Solomone Kata, 23 George Pearson.
Referees: Jack Makepeace
Assistant referees: Greg Macdonald and James Clarke
No.4: Samuel Yates
