Northampton Saints have named a side full of youth for Thursday’s Premiership Rugby Cup tie against Saracens, with England Under-18 international Toby Cousins poised to make history for the men in Black, Green and Gold.
At 17 years and 347 days old, Cousins is named on the wing by the hosts for the cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens clash, and will become the youngest player to represent the Club in the professional era (breaking the record set by Josh Gillespie in 2018).
Director of rugby Phil Dowson has named summer signing Callum Braley as skipper for Saints, with the Italian international scrum-half partnering No.10 Matthew Arden in the half-back berths.
Ethan Grayson and Joel Matavesi are selected in Northampton’s midfield, while alongside Cousins and England Under-20 fullback George Hendy in the back three is Alfie Garside – a guest player from Bath University, and brother of Saints scrum-half Jake.
Loosehead prop Ethan Waller partners hooker Robbie Smith and tighthead Oisín Heffernan in the front row.
In the engine room, Senior Academy players Emeka Atuanya and Geordie Irvine combine, with Kayde Sylvester, George Patten and Loughborough University guest player Henri Lavin rounding off the hosts’ line-up in the back row.
The Club’s Academy is well represented amongst the replacements for Saints, with Ed Prowse, Aston Gradwick-Light, Toby Thame and Archie Kean all hoping to make an impact off the bench.
Meanwhile, Cousins’ new Club record could well be short-lived as fellow England Under-18 internationals Henry Pollock (17 years, 237 days) and Archie McParland (17 years, 203 days) – who both also represented the Red Rose in South Africa this summer – are also named on the bench for Northampton.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs SARACENS
Premiership Rugby Cup, Pool 3, Round 1
Thursday 8 September 2022
cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 7.45pm
15 George Hendy
14 Alfie Garside*
13 Ethan Grayson
12 Joel Matavesi
11 Toby Cousins**
10 Matthew Arden
9 Callum Braley (c)
1 Ethan Waller
2 Robbie Smith
3 Oisín Heffernan
4 Emeka Atuanya
5 Geordie Irvine
6 George Patten
7 Henri Lavin*
8 Kayde Sylvester
Replacements:
16 James Fish
17 Silas Pill*
18 Ed Prowse
19 Aston Gradwick-Light
20 Henry Pollock**
21 Archie McParland**
22 Archie Kean
23 Toby Thame
* Guest player
** Saints Academy Under-18
Referee: Andrew Jackson
Assistant referees: Charlie Gayther and Dean Richards
No.4: Bill Burton
