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| 4 February 2004, 2:53 pm |
| Dawson Back In And Two Rookies Hope For Saints Debuts |
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Northampton Saints scrum-half Matt Dawson will start Saturday's Zurich Premiership match against Rotherham Titans.
Dawson did not get the opportunity to come off the bench against Llanelli on Sunday after he was made available for selection following a fitness test on his shoulder.
On the bench this week, will be two Northampton Saints Academy players who have earned their places after performing well for the club's second team, the Wanderers, in the Zurich A League.
Centre Andy Vilk, 22, has scored 14 tries in his last 11 appearances, including a hat-trick against Newcastle IIs on Monday. Northampton-born 19-year-old No 8 Brett McNamee also scored a try last Monday, as did wing Oriol Ripol, who has been rewarded with a place in the starting XV.
Not included in the squad this week are John Leslie and Robbie Morris, who both started last weekend. But Rob Hunter is back on the bench after injuring his neck last month, and former Tonga captain Tevita Taumoepeau will make his Franklin's Gardens debut.
Head coach Wayne Smith said: "We are resting John Leslie and Robbie Morris because they got battered last weekend. Mark Robinson also got battered, so we are starting with Daws. We will have a late fitness test on Steve Thompson after he injured his ankle against Llanelli."
Northampton Saints
15 BRUCE REIHANA (co-capt)
14 ORIOL RIPOL
13 Chris Hyndman
12 Mark Tucker
11 BEN COHEN
10 Shane Drahm
9 MATT DAWSON
1 TOM SMITH
2 Dan Richmond
3 TEVITA TAUMOEPEAU
4 Matt Lord
5 MARK CONNORS
6 ANDREW BLOWERS (co-capt)
7 Darren Fox
8 Grant Seely
16 STEVE THOMPSON/Matt Miles
17 Chris Budgen
18 Rob Hunter
19 Brett McNamee
20 MARK ROBINSON
21 Andy Vilk
22 PAUL GRAYSON
BRETT McNAMEE
DOB: 08/06/84
BIRTHPLACE: Northampton
HEIGHT: 6'1"/1.85m
WEIGHT: 96kg/15st 1lb
POSITION: Back-row
PREV CLUB: Old Northamptonians
HONOURS: Ireland U19s
ANDY VILK
DOB: 11/06/81
BIRTHPLACE: London
HEIGHT: 5'11"/1.80m
WEIGHT: 98kg/15st 6lbs
POSITION: Centre
PREV CLUB: London Irish/Loughborough University
HONOURS: England Students
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