Northampton Saints host Munster Rugby at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens this Sunday (7 April, kick-off: 12.30pm) in the Investec Champions Cup’s Round of 16.
It will be the first time the men in Black, Green and Gold have hosted a home knock-out clash in Northampton in the competition since 2000 (with previous matches being hosted in Milton Keynes).
Phil Dowson’s side secured a dramatic 26-23 win against this week’s opposition back in the Pool stages of this season’s Investec Champions Cup – with a late Sam Graham try and 16 points from Fin Smith’s boot sealing their first-ever win at Thomond Park.
Saints make two changes to the line-up that downed Saracens 41-30 last week, with Club captain Lewis Ludlam returning to the starting XV alongside No.8 Sam Graham in the back row for Sunday’s clash with Munster – while Courtney Lawes stays on at blindside flanker.
Northampton remain completely unchanged in the back line, with scrum-half Tom James and last week’s Player-of-the-Match Fin Smith hoping to pull the strings from the half-back berths.
Burger Odendaal and Fraser Dingwall remain in the midfield, with Ollie Sleightholme, Tommy Freeman and James Ramm all retaining their places in the back three.
Emmanuel Iyogun, Curtis Langdon and Trevor Davison man Saints’ front row once again, with Alex Moon and Alex Coles behind them in Northampton’s engine room for an unchanged tight five.
And there is space on Saints’ bench for the likes of Sam Matavesi, Alex Waller, Angus Scott-Young and Juarno Augustus – while Alex Mitchell is set to make his return from injury from amongst the replacements.
We’re expecting a full house at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Sunday – tickets for the clash between Saints and Munster are completely SOLD OUT, so please allow plenty of time to get into your seat or place on the Terrace!
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs MUNSTER RUGBY
Investec Champions Cup, Round of 16
Sunday 7 April, 2024
cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 12.30pm
15 James Ramm
14 Tommy Freeman
13 Fraser Dingwall
12 Burger Odendaal
11 Ollie Sleightholme
10 Fin Smith
9 Tom James
1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Trevor Davison
4 Alex Moon
5 Alex Coles
6 Courtney Lawes
7 Lewis Ludlam (c)
8 Sam Graham
Replacements:
16 Sam Matavesi
17 Alex Waller
18 Paul Hill
19 Temo Mayanavanua
20 Angus Scott-Young
21 Juarno Augustus
22 Alex Mitchell
23 George Hendy
Not available for selection:
Callum Braley, George Furbank, Rory Hutchinson and Tom Pearson.
MUNSTER TEAM TO FACE SAINTS: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Sean O'Brien, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey; 1 Jeremy Loughman, 2 Niall Scannell, 3 Stephen Archer, 4 Thomas Ahern, 5 Tadhg Beirne (c), 6 Peter O'Mahony, 7 John Hodnett, 8 Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: 16 Eoghan Clarke, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Mark Donnelly, 19 Jack O'Donoghue, 20 Alex Kendellen, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Shay McCarthy.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Sco)
Assisstant referees: Hollie Davidson and Jonny Perriam (both Sco)
TMO: Dave Sutherland (Sco)
