Northampton Saints embark on their first semi-final in the Investec Champions Cup since 2011 this weekend, heading to Croke Park to face Leinster Rugby on Saturday (4 May, kick-off: 5.30pm).
Having won all six of their matches in the competition so far, Saints defeated Vodacom Bulls 59-22 in the quarter-final last month to seal their place in the final four and head to Dublin for the first time in Director of Rugby Phil Dowson’s tenure.
Saints have won just one of their last ten meetings with the Dubliners, and Dowson was on the field that day when an overtime intercept try from Jamie Elliott earned Saints a momentous win at the Aviva Stadium.
More history will be made this weekend as Northampton become the first English club side to play rugby at Croke Park, with Courtney Lawes – who, alongside teammate Fin Smith, is amongst the nominees for the Investec Player of the Tournament – leading the men in Black, Green and Gold on his 280th appearance for the Club.
George Furbank and James Ramm retain their places in Saints’ back three, at fullback and wing respectively, while 21-year-old George Hendy returns from injury to start on Northampton’s other wing.
Fraser Dingwall also returns to the starting line-up for Saints, partnering Tommy Freeman – who has made more post-contact metres (115) than any other player in the tournament so far – in Northampton’s centres.
Also just 21, Fin Smith (both Saints’ top points-scorer (65) and leading tackler (71) in the competition so far) takes his position at fly-half, with fellow England international Alex Mitchell at scrum-half beside him.
Alex Waller brings up his 375th appearance in a Saints shirt in Dublin as he starts at loosehead prop, with hooker Curtis Langdon and tighthead Trevor Davison complete Northampton’s front row.
Locks Alex Moon and Alex Coles both return to Saints’ starting XV this weekend, with the pair of Club centurions partnering in Northampton’s engine room for the third consecutive Investec Champions Cup clash.
Captain Lawes is joined in the back row by No.8 Juarno Augustus and openside flanker Sam Graham – with the latter’s try-scoring heroics sealing Saints’ last victory in Ireland, when the men in Black, Green and Gold defeated Munster Rugby 23-26 in Round 4 back in January.
There’s room amongst the replacements for Scotland international Elliot Millar Mills and Fiji pair Temo Mayanavanua and Sam Matavesi, while the likes of Tom James, Tom Seabrook and Emmanuel Iyogun are also amongst those set to enter the action from the bench at Croke Park.
LEINSTER RUGBY vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Investec Champions Cup, Semi-Final
Saturday 4 May, 2024
Croke Park
Kick-off: 5.30pm
15 George Furbank
14 James Ramm
13 Tommy Freeman
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 George Hendy
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell
1 Alex Waller
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Trevor Davison
4 Alex Moon
5 Alex Coles
6 Courtney Lawes (c)
7 Sam Graham
8 Juarno Augustus
Replacements:
16 Sam Matavesi
17 Emmanuel Iyogun
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Temo Mayanavanua
20 Angus Scott-Young
21 Tom James
22 Tom Litchfield
23 Tom Seabrook
Not available for selection:
Callum Braley, Rory Hutchinson, Lewis Ludlam, Burger Odendaal, Tom Pearson and Ollie Sleightholme.
Referee: Mathieu Reynal (Fra)
Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset and Luc Ramos (both Fra)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (Fra)
