Hutchinson and Dingwall return for Northampton Saints at Gloucester

Hutchinson and Dingwall return for Northampton Saints at Gloucester

Rory Hutchinson and Fraser Dingwall both return to Northampton Saints’ starting line-up this weekend, with pair both selected in the centres as the men in Black, Green and Gold head to Gloucester.

Saints get back into Gallagher Premiership action at Kingsholm on Saturday (23 December, kick-off: 3pm), taking on ninth-place Gloucester in Round 9 of the competition.

The last four clashes between the sides have been won by the home side on the day, with Saints’ last victory in Gloucester coming behind closed doors back in January 2021; and Northampton will be hoping to overturn that recent run of form at Kingsholm as they go in search of their fifth consecutive win, having downed HarlequinsSaracensGlasgow Warriors and RC Toulon in the last four weeks.

George Furbank will lead Saints out in Gloucester and is joined in Northampton’s back three by a new-look wing pairing in Tommy Freeman and Tom Litchfield – with the latter starting on the wing for the first time in his Saints career.

Hutchinson returns from injury to start for Saints for the first time since Round 6 as he partners Dingwall in Northampton’s midfield, while Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith man Saints’ half-back berths once again.


Paul Hill provides the only change to the front row for Northampton as he joins prop Ethan Waller and hooker Curtis Langdon there, with locks Temo Mayanavanua and Alex Coles packing down behind them in the engine room – with the latter making his return after a two-week injury lay-off.

Saints name an unchanged back row for the festive clash, with Courtney Lawes, Tom Pearson and Sam Graham – who penned a new contract with the Club earlier this week – completing Northampton’s starting line-up.


Meanwhile there is space on Saints’ bench for the likes of Sam Matavesi, Chunya Munga, Juarno Augustus and Charlie Savala – who became Saint #2087 when he came off the bench against Toulon last week.

 

GLOUCESTER RUGBY vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Gallagher Premiership, Round 9

Saturday 23 December, 2023

Kingsholm Stadium

Kick-off: 3pm

15 George Furbank (c)

14 Tom Litchfield

13 Fraser Dingwall

12 Rory Hutchinson

11 Tommy Freeman

10 Fin Smith

9 Alex Mitchell

1 Ethan Waller

2 Curtis Langdon

3 Paul Hill

4 Temo Mayanavanua

5 Alex Coles

6 Courtney Lawes

7 Tom Pearson

8 Sam Graham

Replacements:

16 Sam Matavesi

17 Tarek Haffar

18 Elliot Millar Mills

19 Chunya Munga

20 Juarno Augustus

21 Callum Braley

22 Charlie Savala

23 Jake Garside

Not available for selection:

George Hendy, Tom James (suspended), Lewis Ludlam, Joel Matavesi, James Ramm, Tom Seabrook, Ollie Sleightholme, Robbie Smith and Alex Waller. 

Referee: Hamish Smales

Assistant referees: Harry Walbaum and Neil Chivers

No. 4: Andy Wigley

TMO: Dean Richards

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