Injury Crisis Could See Northampton Face Exeter A Man Short

September 17, 2020
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Ultimate Rugby

Northampton Saints' loosehead prop injury crisis could see Chris Boyd's side front up against Exeter Chiefs with just 22 players.

Boyd has just one fit loosehead prop in their ranks in the form of 19-year-old rookie Emmanuel Iyogun.

The black, green and gold have been badly hit by injuries, losing all four of their senior loosehead props to injury. Nick Auterac suffered a hip flexor injury and was forced off the pitch against Bristol Bears before Francois van Wyk left the field with a knee problem in the defeat at Leicester Tigers last Sunday. Added to their woes is Alex Waller who is still working his way back from an Achilles problem suffered in February, while Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi is out for up to a year after suffering a similar injury against the Bears.

Northampton are currently still locked in dialogue with EPCR as they look to resolve their loosehead crisis ahead of the quarter-final. Under tournament rules, the 16 clubs who have qualified for the quarter-finals in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cups were required to register their squads on or before 1 September. EPCR have reiterated that the regulations do not allow any further registration of players but did confirm in a short statement that they are considering the request from Saints: "The additional registration request of Northampton Saints is being considered by the EPCR Board."

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4⃣ Loosehead props are unavailable to Northampton for this weekend's #HeinekenChampionsCup quarter-final #EXEvNOR

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Judging on recent form, Sunday's all English Champions Cup quarter-final should see Exeter march into the semi-finals with Rob Baxter's side winning all but one of their seven Premiership fixtures since the resumption of the league.

Baxter's side lost just the one Premiership match, to Saracens, in a game that saw both sides field what could be described as second and third-string players. Besides that loss, Exeter have come out of lockdown sprinting brushing aside the likes of Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks, Bristol Bears, Worcester, Northampton and Gloucester with little fuss.

Form Guide: Champions Cup Quarter-Finals