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The Northampton latest on the Alex Mitchell injury
Phil Dowson has confirmed that Northampton will know more this Thursday about how long Alex Mitchell could be sidelined with a neck injury. The England scrum-half had been named to start in the Saints team for their September 13 friendly versus Bedford, but he was a late withdrawal.
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It was last Friday, following Northampton’s 16-38 loss away to Bath in the opening round of the Gallagher Premiership, when the director of rugby explained that the No9 had taken a knock to his neck and that the club were awaiting scan results.
Asked on Tuesday afternoon might Mitchell be available for this Saturday’s home league game versus Exeter, Dowson said: “Probably not. He is seeing a specialist again on Thursday, so more update really then in terms of timeline and what it looks like.”
Mitchell’s medical situation will likely be one of the first examples of the new professional game partnership in action. England boss Steve Borthwick was given the final say earlier this month with regard to the medical and sports science issues surrounding any player on an enhanced EPS contract.
Borthwick can have up to 25 players on enhanced EPS terms and while the names of this select contingent have yet to be confirmed, Mitchell would be expected to be classed as an enhanced EPS player.
With Mitchell missing last weekend for Northampton, the starting Tom James was covered from the bench by rookie Archie McParland. Toby Thame was another young back named amongst the replacements and Dowson was encouraged by what he saw in their respective 13- and 17-minute cameos.
“Huge amount of faith,” he said when asked about his youthful bench duo. “Both of those guys epitomise what our club structure is in terms of development. They have both come through the system, both are high quality players, both played (England) 20s.
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“Toby Thame is still doing a degree course at Durham and so he will be back and forth throughout the season, but he is absolute quality and very talented. And Archie McParland was unlucky to get an injury for the 20s World Cup. He has been one of the standout players in that age group and we have high hopes he can be in that nine group really pushing TJ and Alex.”
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