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Courtney Lawes to make first appearance in over 2 months

By Ian Cameron

09 Dec 2022

Courtney Lawes of England speaks to the referee during game three of the International Test match series between the Australia Wallabies and England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on July 16, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Northampton Saints have named Courtney Lawes on the bench as they take on European champions La Rochelle this weekend in a Heineken Champions Cup opener on the west coast of France.

Lawes has not played since September 24 and didn’t feature for England having failed return-to-play protocols after a concussive injury at the start of the season. Owen Farrell captained the men in white in his absence.

Lawes saw a specialist during the layoff and is now deemed well enough to resume playing and is set to be sprung from the bench at Stade Marcel-Deflandre.

In total Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson makes five changes to his starting line-up, with Robbie Smith, David Ribbans, Aaron Hinkley, Tom James and Matt Proctor all returning to the side.

Smith is one of four Northampton players set to make their Heineken Champions Cup debuts as he starts at hooker, with Alex Waller and Paul Hill packing down either side of the 24-year-old in the front row.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – also set for his European debut – makes his sixth consecutive start as he joins Ribbans in Saints’ engine room for only the second time this season.

Captain Lewis Ludlam shifts to No. 8 this weekend to lead the side out in La Rochelle, accompanying incoming Hinkley and England international Alex Coles in the back row.

James makes his third start of the season at scrum-half as he partners another Champions Cup debutant Fin Smith in the half-back berths, with Fraser Dingwall and Proctor lining up outside them in the centres.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
15 George Furbank
14 James Ramm
13 Matt Proctor
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 Tommy Freeman
10 Fin Smith
9 Tom James
1 Alex Waller
2 Robbie Smith
3 Paul Hill
4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
5 David Ribbans
6 Alex Coles
7 Aaron Hinkley
8 Lewis Ludlam (c)

REPLACEMENTS:
16 Sam Matavesi
17 Emmanuel Iyogun
18 Ehren Painter
19 Courtney Lawes
20 Angus Scott-Young
21 Juarno Augustus
22 Alex Mitchell
23 Rory Hutchinson

Heineken Champions Cup, Round 1
Date: Saturday 10 December 2022
Stadium: Stade Marcel-Deflandre
Kick-off: 6.30pm (local time)

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Comments on RugbyPass

Bull Shark 28 minutes ago

'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks'

Nor 1652 - 1981 if you wanted to get really into this train of thought.

Round about the time England was cruising around the world raping and pillaging. Like “Heroes”. Killing Zulus and Boers and such.

What’s New Zealand or Australia doing for the game in Asia? Will they ever play a game against China - or is that asking too much!?

6 Go to comments

AC 1 hour ago

URC chief executive addresses potential Premiership merger

No I know. Like I mentioned, many would be opposed, most of all France. France's domestic rugby rivals their domestic football, that's how healthy it is.

4 Go to comments

AC 1 hour ago

Harlequins 'riddled with errors' and physically 'weren’t at the races'

It was, perhaps the worst performance I've ever seen from Quins. Also a very un-Quins performance because usually, when they lose, it's because they gave up too many tries even though they scored enough. Haven't been blanked in 10 years. Didn't even let Gloucester get that many, they just simple could not get the ball across the line, couldn't hold on to it really at all.

1 Go to comments

HU 1 hour ago

'Tom has the potential to be better than a British and Irish Lion'

a long long time ago, when I was writing articles myself (as a way to earn some money during my university studies) there was some editing involved .... if I had put up crap like "better than a British Lion" I would have got called into the editor-in-chief's office and been reminded about taking the profession seriously ....

7 Go to comments

HU 2 hours ago

URC chief executive addresses potential Premiership merger

no way France would join .... why would they, the Top14 is perhaps the healthiest competition in (professional) club rugby and even the D2 seems to be up and running ..... I can't see any selling point to be convincing ....

4 Go to comments

ED 2 hours ago

Bristol vs Leicester | Live & Latest Rugby Union Scores & Results | RugbyPass

This teamsheet is different to bears site and planet rugby.

1 Go to comments

Barry 3 hours ago

'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks'

Always has elevated the profile of African rugby?

They didn't do much for the games profile from 1981 - 1992. Not in a positive sense at least.

6 Go to comments

Bull Shark 3 hours ago

'Tom has the potential to be better than a British and Irish Lion'

What does “better than a British Lion” mean?

As good as a springbok?

7 Go to comments

Hellhound 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

On this I agree with you. There were many great teams and many different eras of rugby with very different rule sets. It's actually impossible to declare one team or player as the best ever. However, this is definitely the best SA team SA has ever had. All the accolades speaks for itself.

129 Go to comments

Hellhound 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

All you can do is hate on SA. Jealousy makes you nasty and it's never a good look. Those who actually knows rugby is all talking about the depth and standards of the SA players. They don't wear blinders like you. The NH had many years to build the depth and players for multiple competition the SA teams didn't. There will be growing pains. Not least travel issues. The NH teams barely have to travel to play an opponent opposed to the SA teams. That is just one issue. There is many more issues, hence the "growing pains". The CC isn't yet a priority and this is what most people have a problem with. Saying SA is disrespecting that competition which isn't true. SA don't have the funds yet to go big and get the players needed for 3 competitions. It all costs a lot of money. It's over using players and get them injured or prioritising what they can deliver with what are available. To qualify for CC, they need to perform well in the URC, so that is where the main priorities is currently. In time that will change with sponsors coming in fast. They are at a distinct disadvantage currently compared to the rest. Be happy about that, because they already are the best international team. You would have hated it if they kept winning the club competitions like the URC and CC every year too. Don't be such a sourmouth loser. See the complete picture and judge accordingly. There is many factors you aren't even aware of at play that you completely ignore just to sound relevant. Instead of being an positive influence and spread the game and help it grow, we have to read nonsense like this from haters. Just grow up and stop hating on the game. Go watch soccer or something that loves people like you.

129 Go to comments

Barry 5 hours ago

URC chief executive addresses potential Premiership merger

The RFU won't go for it especially now they've enhanced hybrid contracts and some control over their international players.

4 Go to comments

Barry 8 hours ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

Exactly. They haven't learnt. Their regions and U20s are also whipping boys which is the bigger concern. Nothing coming through.

They maxed out the credit cards to keep their golden generation of players at home. It's now destroyed the game at every level in Wales.

10 Go to comments

Barry 8 hours ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

Nor can the same coach turn it around. That's been proven across the last year. It will be years before they are even competitive again. It's a 5 year + job. No way Gatland will be around for that.

Italy's nadir was around ten years ago and even they were better equipped with their regions, U20s and senior squad and management. Wales have further to fall.

10 Go to comments

Barry 8 hours ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

If they're happy at losing 12 on the bounce, get a regional coach who would be as bad but cost about a sixth in salary.

10 Go to comments

dw 9 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I'm no expert but I've never seen nz or even aus as doing much for those nations? Both have benefited from their countries players playing for us! I see most of the top nations looking after themselves and maybe it's a world rugby issue?

129 Go to comments

richard davies 9 hours ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

At 600k a year I would think there will be quite a Que. win lose or draw you can blame the small stature of the players and the WRU