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| 30 April 2003, 12:55 pm |
| Young Prop Called Up To Fill Boots Of Lions Prop Tom Smith |
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Northampton Saints' 21-year-old prop Brett Sturgess has been called up to the squad ahead of Friday night's Zurich Premiership game against NEC Harlequins.
Sturgess, who played his last game for Saints against Bath Rugby last month and scored his debut try against Harlequins during the autumn internationals, has been drafted into the front row following Tom Smith's toe fracture, and the absence of Chris Budgen and Matt Stewart, who have been drafted into the Army v Navy game on Saturday.
Sturgess is likely to start Friday's game in the place of Smith, who revealed today that his injury was the result of an epileptic seizure he suffered last week.
Smith, who has suffered from epilepsy for the last 13 years and is a patron of the charity Enlighten Action for Epilepsy in both Edinburgh and Hong Kong, said: "I had a seizure in the night and injured my foot somehow - I am not sure how it happened, but further investigation revealed I had broken a toe."
He added: "The reason I have decided to say I broke it as a result of the seizure is because I have got a pile of letters at home from children with epilepsy, and I always write to tell them it is not something to hide away or something that should be stigmatised. I guess I am putting my money where my mouth is."
Head coach Wayne Smith has been unable to name a side as he is awaiting late fitness tests on Paul Grayson, Bruce Reihana, Matt Lord and Grant Seely.
The team will be selected on Friday morning from the following squad:
Forwards:
ROBBIE MORRIS, Brett Sturgess, Kelvin Todd, STEVE THOMPSON, Matt Miles, Rob Hunter, Matt Lord, STEVE WILLIAMS, MARK CONNORS, Darren Fox, Grant Seely, BUDGE POUNTNEY (capt) and ANDREW BLOWERS.
Backs:
NICK BEAL, BRUCE REIHANA, ORIOL RIPOL, BEN COHEN, JON SLEIGHTHOLME, PETER JORGENSEN, JOHN LESLIE, Mark Tucker, PAUL GRAYSON, James Brooks, MATT DAWSON, Ian Vass and Johnny Howard.
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