Saints name squad for Premiership Rugby 7s at Franklin’s Gardens

Northampton Saints have named their first squad of the 2018/19 season with the Premiership Rugby 7s returning to Franklin’s Gardens this coming Friday and Saturday.

Rory Hutchinson will skipper a young Saints squad with plenty to prove in the first hit-out of the campaign, as all 12 Gallagher Premiership clubs descend on Northampton for the festival of 7s rugby.

With free-flowing tries, lightning-fast offloads and crunching tackles all guaranteed across two days of competition, the Premiership Rugby 7s is the chance to see the next generation of rugby stars go toe-to-toe.

Several players will pull on the Black, Green and Gold for the second straight season in the 7s with the likes of Tom Emery, Ollie Sleightholme, Devante Onojaife, and Fraser Strachan all featuring for Saints in the competition last year, where the side claimed the Bowl prize.

But Saints will be hoping to go one better this year and lift the Cup on Saturday, with local rivals Wasps – who have won the last two editions of the tournament – and Gloucester awaiting them in Friday’s pool stages.

For a full list of the fixtures please CLICK HERE.

“This is a superb opportunity for the Club to start the season off strongly and for all of these young players involved to put their hands up to the first-team coaches,” said Saints Academy head coach Mark Hopley.

“The 7s Cup is the first piece of silverware on offer for all 12 Premiership Rugby clubs season and of course everyone wants to win it.

“We’re focused now on our preparations for the next couple of days and on ensuring we play really entertaining rugby for what we’re sure will be a raucous home crowd here at Franklin’s Gardens.”

Saints supporters will also get their first look at a number of the Club’s brightest talents, with Under-18s squad members Tyler Mills (Northampton School for Boys), Morgan Dayes (Samuel Whitbread), Ollie Newman (Cambridge), and Josh Gillespie (Millfield) getting their first run-outs for Northampton’s senior team.

And Hutchinson is relishing the prospect of leading the eager group into the tournament.

He said: “It’s a great privilege for us to be hosting the 7s at home again this year.

“Obviously we’ve had a fresh start as a squad this preseason, with new coaching and new players coming in, but now we’re really looking forward to playing in the 7s.

“Everyone wants to pull on the Black, Green and Gold jersey as much as possible – that’s why we play the sport – and we’ve got a really good bunch of players involved who want to perform.”

Tickets are still available for the Premiership Rugby 7s on July 27 and 28, please CLICK HERE to book your place.

Premiership Rugby 7s
Friday 27th July & Saturday 28th July
Franklin’s Gardens

Northampton Saints
1 Paddy Ryan
2 Connor Tupai
3 Fraser Strachan
4 Josh Gillespie
5 Morgan Dayes
6 Ollie Newman
7 Joe Wallace
8 Devante Onojaife
9 Tom Emery
10 Tyler Mills
11 Ollie Sleightholme
12 Rory Hutchinson (c)