Northampton Saints have named a 31-man squad to face Ospreys in the Club’s final preseason friendly ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, with Alex Mitchell leading the side out at Dunraven Brewery Field.
The 25-year-old England international is named as captain of a Saints side for the first time in his career – while Fraser Dingwall, Ollie Sleightholme, and Juarno Augustus all start the clash to also make their first appearances of preseason.
Sleightholme joins George Hendy and new signing James Ramm in Northampton’s back three, while Dingwall lines up in the midfield with Matt Proctor, and Mitchell will hope to pull the strings from the half-back berths alongside James Grayson.
Up front, Emmanuel Iyogun, Mike Haywood and Paul Hill make up the front row, with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Alex Coles packing down in Saints’ engine room for the second week running.
Augustus – statistically the most destructive carrier of any forward in the Premiership, TOP 14, URC and Super Rugby last season with a gainline success rate of 75% – pulls on the No.8 jersey, with Angus Scott-Young and Sam Graham rounding off the back row having both made their first starts in Northampton colours last weekend.
Meanwhile Sam Matavesi, Brandon Nansen and Aaron Hinkley are all named amongst the replacements for Saints and are also poised to make their first appearances of preseason when they enter the action.
OSPREYS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Preseason Friendly
Friday 2 September
Dunraven Brewery Field
Kick-off: 7pm
15 George Hendy
14 Ollie Sleightholme
13 Matt Proctor
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 James Ramm
10 James Grayson
9 Alex Mitchell (c)
1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Mike Haywood
3 Paul Hill
4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
5 Alex Coles
6 Angus Scott-Young
7 Sam Graham
8 Juarno Augustus
Replacements:
Alex Waller
Sam Matavesi
Robbie Smith
Alfie Petch
Oisín Heffernan
Alex Moon
Brandon Nansen
Aaron Hinkley
Geordie Irvine
Callum Braley
Tom James
Matt Arden
Tom Collins
Joel Matavesi
Tom Litchfield
Courtnall Skosan
