Saints v Bristol 26th April 2025 - Teams Up

By Saint Ted
April 25 2025

This is the Northampton Saints v Bristol Bears match day thread

Where: Franklins Gardens

When:  Saturday 26th April 20205; 17:30

How do I watch: Discovery +/TNT1/Ultimate

Tickets: Tickets available from Saints

Match day info: Guide to the gardens

Saints take: Saints O'ffy

Bristols Take: Bears O'ffy

Officials:

Referee: Adam Leal
Assistant referee: 
Andrew Jackson and Wayne Falla
TMO: 
Matthew Carley
No. 4: 
Mike Hudson

Teams:

Northampton Saints   Bristol Bears
James Ramm 15 Rich Lane
Tommy Freeman 14 Deago Bailey 
Fraser Dingwall (c) 13 Kalaveti Ravouvou
Rory Hutchinson 12 Benhard Janse van Rensburg 
Tom Litchfield 11 Gabriel Ibitoye 
Fin Smith 10 AJ MacGinty 
Alex Mitchell 9 Harry Randall
     
Emmanuel Iyogun 1 Ellis Genge 
Curtis Langdon 2 Harry Thacker 
Trevor Davison 3 Max Lahiff 
Temo Mayanavanua 4 Josh Caulfield
Alex Coles 5 Joe Owen 
Josh Kemeny 6 Steven Luatua 
Henry Pollock 7 Santiago Grondona 
Juarno Augustus 8 Fitz Harding (c)
     
Replacements:    
Henry Walker 16 Gabriel Oghre 
Tom West 17 Yann Thomas 
Elliot Millar Mills 18 George Kloska 
Tom Lockett 19 Viliame Mata
Angus Scott-Young 20 Ben Grondona 
Tom James 21 Kieran Marmion 
Tom Seabrook 22 James Williams
Will Glister 23 Siva Naulago

Not available for selection:
Sam Graham, George Hendy, George Makepeace-Cubitt, Iakopo Mapu, Archie McParland, Burger Odendaal, Tom Pearson, Toby Thame, Charlie Savala, Ollie Sleightholme, and Robbie Smith.

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Saints v Bristol 26th April 2025 - Teams Up
Discussion started by Marching On , 25/04/2025 11:54
Marching On
25/04/2025 11:54
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:30:11:21:00 by Saint Ted.

St Stokey.
25/04/2025 11:56
Furbank?

Saint Maul
25/04/2025 12:18
Bristol have looked a little off the boil in recent weeks so it feels like a winnable game but will they want it more than Saints?

Unavailable for Bristol: Lovejoy Chawatama, Steele Barker, Joe Batley, James Dun, George Taylor, Jake Heenan, Harry Byrne, Sam Worsley, Noah Heward, Harry Rowson, Max Malins.

Bristol are depleted in the second row.

Saints have gone as strong as we can which I’m pleased/relieved to see. But our injuries are hurting us with 7 matchday best 23 players out injured and a lot long-term.

It’s a big ask for Furbank to go into a European semi-final with just one game under his belt 3 weeks before. Doesn’t say he is injured. But I suspect whilst he could play they are giving his arm max time to strengthen given the discomfort he showed in his first game back so can understand the approach. I’m sure he’ll be desperate to play in the semi.

COYS!!!

Sir Hector
25/04/2025 12:22
Furbs didn’t look too rusty when he came on the Hendy last week, anything but in fact. So I’d back him to slot back in for the big one! More worried by Burger’s abesence, I didn’t realise he was injured.
A good side though and we really should be too good for a misfiring Bristol

St Marcus
25/04/2025 12:42
Hope you are correct about being cautious with Furbs, Maul. Odendaal out is a miss as well - the luck with injuries this season has been absolutely terrible.

This should be a winnable match, four on the bounce going into the Leinster match would, for about the first time this season, give us a bit of momentum.

Deesaint
25/04/2025 13:02
Wonder who is marking Harry Thacker

St Stokey.
25/04/2025 13:16
Quote:
Deesaint
Wonder who is marking Harry Thacker

That's done it! now you've mentioned him, he's definitely going to score!

When's he out of contract? I don't care how old he is, how much he'd cost, just sign him so he can't score against us... again!

Saint Maul
25/04/2025 13:26
Quote:
St Marcus
Hope you are correct about being cautious with Furbs, Maul. Odendaal out is a miss as well - the luck with injuries this season has been absolutely terrible.
This should be a winnable match, four on the bounce going into the Leinster match would, for about the first time this season, give us a bit of momentum.

Completely agree Odendaal is a big miss, particularly against Bristol’s midfield!

Deesaint
25/04/2025 13:29
Quote:
St Stokey.
Quote:
Deesaint
Wonder who is marking Harry Thacker

That's done it! now you've mentioned him, he's definitely going to score!

When's he out of contract? I don't care how old he is, how much he'd cost, just sign him so he can't score against us... again!

Once I mentioned him

I did go outside turn round three times spit and curse
Before knocking to be let back in

Should do it

Saint Maul
25/04/2025 13:46
With Mata (an 8) the second row cover on Bristol’s bench given Barkley, Batley and Dun are all injured; targeting the Bristol scrum and lineout may be a fruitful tactic that pays dividends as the game goes into the latter stages.

Tidy
25/04/2025 13:47
Burger was originally on the bench when the team was first announced on the socials but replaced minutes later by Glister

Sir Hector
25/04/2025 14:44
So we have a centre on the wing and two wingers on the bench?

St Stokey.
25/04/2025 14:50
Quote:
Deesaint
Quote:
St Stokey.
Quote:
Deesaint
Wonder who is marking Harry Thacker

That's done it! now you've mentioned him, he's definitely going to score!

When's he out of contract? I don't care how old he is, how much he'd cost, just sign him so he can't score against us... again!

Once I mentioned him

I did go outside turn round three times spit and curse
Before knocking to be let back in

Should do it

Did you happen to count and/or salute the magpies?

tigersimon
25/04/2025 15:40
Maul,

I suspect Luatua would move into the Second Row and Mata come on in the Back Row.

tigersimon
25/04/2025 15:41
5pts to Nil please

Saint Maul
25/04/2025 17:07
Quote:
Sir Hector
So we have a centre on the wing and two wingers on the bench?

It signals that the likes of Seabrook and Haffar are going to get limited game time before they depart for Tigers. An exceptional player like Augustus should still get picked but, personally, I like players who are staying being picked over leavers if it helps their development without significantly diminishing the team.

Saint Gordo
25/04/2025 17:31
Quote:
St Stokey.
Quote:
Deesaint
Quote:
St Stokey.
Quote:
Deesaint
Wonder who is marking Harry Thacker

That's done it! now you've mentioned him, he's definitely going to score!

When's he out of contract? I don't care how old he is, how much he'd cost, just sign him so he can't score against us... again!

Once I mentioned him

I did go outside turn round three times spit and curse
Before knocking to be let back in

Should do it

Did you happen to count and/or salute the magpies?
Maybe it's how we were raised, or more importantly where we were raised. In my world, if you want to proof yourself against a curse or search for good luck, everyone knows you have to sacrifice a chicken. And not one already in a KFC order. That's what they told me in med school.

Deesaint
25/04/2025 18:10
Bit fowl mate

Sir Hector
25/04/2025 19:01
When you’ve finished stirring the giblets can you give a score prediction?

Saint Gordo
26/04/2025 16:30
The chicken told me I need to keep it quiet. So strange, even after the sacrifice, he still talks to me. Tells me to do....things...

Dave Jackson
26/04/2025 18:47
Looking like a hood win

Hopefully no injuries

Saint Gordo
26/04/2025 18:54
Some really nice phases of play by both sides. That said, I'm glad there are more nice phases by Saints. Bristol has given us fits in the past.

Deesaint
26/04/2025 19:15
Quote:
Saint Gordo
Some really nice phases of play by both sides. That said, I'm glad there are more nice phases by Saints. Bristol has given us fits in the past.

+1

We need to tighten up defence before next week

But I really think if we don’t get stage fright

We are in with a good chance

Longers
26/04/2025 19:16
Nice prep.

Saint Gordo
26/04/2025 19:21
Poor attempt at an Ash Splash by Young Master Pollock. I thought he got nervous about possibly dropping the ball. But a nice win, none the less....

tigersimon
26/04/2025 19:47
Did M1 pass his HIA?

Saint Gordo
26/04/2025 22:18
Quote:
Sir Hector
When you’ve finished stirring the giblets can you give a score prediction?
48-31

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