George Furbank and Ollie Sleightholme return to Northampton Saints’ matchday 23 this weekend as the men in Black, Green and Gold take on Union Bordeaux Bègles in the Investec Champions Cup Final on Saturday 24 May (kick-off: 2.45pm).
Saints head to the Principality Stadium for the first time since featuring in the competition’s Final back in 2011 – that day Northampton ended up runners-up to Leinster, with Director of Rugby Phil Dowson the only remaining face at the Club from that time across the squad and senior coaching staff.
But having defeated the Dubliners for only the second time in Saints’ history to book their spot in this year’s Final three weeks ago, Dowson and his side will be aiming to go one better this time around and lift European rugby’s top trophy for the first time since 2000.
Fraser Dingwall leads out the men in Black, Green and Gold in Cardiff, with the England centre joining Scotland international Rory Hutchinson in Saints’ midfield for the fourth consecutive week.
The incoming Furbank starts at fullback for Saints – featuring in his first match for Northampton since April – while in-form wingers James Ramm and Tommy Freeman retain their spots in the back three against Bordeaux.
Saints name the soon-to-be British and Irish Lions half-back duo of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith, with the latter having scored some 71 points throughout the competition so far.
Northampton remain consistent in the front row, naming props Emmanuel Iyogun and Trevor Davison there, with Curtis Langdon – who makes his 50th Saints appearance in Cardiff – starting alongside them at hooker.
Locks Temo Mayanavanua and Tom Lockett start in the engine room for Saints against Bordeaux, as Alex Coles remains in the back row alongside Josh Kemeny and No.8 Henry Pollock.
Dowson opts for a five-three split within his replacements in Cardiff, with Sleightholme’s first match in Black, Green and Gold since December set to come off the bench, and the likes of last week’s match-winner Tarek Haffar, Tom James, Tom Litchfield and Angus Scott-Young will all also hope to make an impact in the latter stages of the contest.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs UNION BORDEAUX-BÈGLES
Investec Champions Cup – Final
Saturday 24 May 2025
Principality Stadium
Kick-off: 2.45pm
15 George Furbank
14 Tommy Freeman
13 Fraser Dingwall (c)
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 James Ramm
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell
1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Curtis Langdon – 50th Saints appearance
3 Trevor Davison
4 Temo Mayanavanua
5 Tom Lockett
6 Alex Coles
7 Josh Kemeny
8 Henry Pollock
Replacements:
16 Craig Wright
17 Tarek Haffar
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Ed Prowse
20 Angus Scott-Young
21 Tom James
22 Tom Litchfield
23 Ollie Sleightholme
Not available for selection:
Juarno Augustus, Sam Graham, George Hendy, George Makepeace-Cubitt, Archie McParland, Burger Odendaal, Toby Thame, Charlie Savala, Robbie Smith and Tom West.
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GEO)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (IRE) and Andrea Piardi (ITA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (RSA)
No.4: Ben Whitehouse (WAL)
