Mitchell brings up 100 Premiership appearances in festive clash at Saracens

December 20, 2024
69
Ultimate Rugby

Alex Mitchell will mark a century of appearances in the Gallagher Premiership this weekend, as Northampton Saints return to league action at Saracens on Sunday (22 December, kick-off: 3pm).

The 27-year-old reaches the milestone against the same side he faced in his Premiership debut back in 2017, starting at scrum-half for Saints as the men in Black, Green and Gold face the fourth-placed Londoners in Round 8.

Saints defeated Saracens three times in 2023/24, first claiming a 12-18 victory at the StoneX Stadium and a 41-20 win at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, before a dramatic 22-20 semi-final triumph sealed Saints’ place in their first Gallagher Premiership Final in a decade.

Alex Coles steps in to lead the men in Black, Green and Gold at StoneX Stadium in the absence of injured Club captain George Furbank, and starts in Saints’ back row for the second time this season.

The 25-year-old is joined there by openside flanker Tom Pearson and No.8 Juarno Augustus, while Chunya Munga comes into Saints’ engine room to join in-form Tom Lockett.

Tighthead prop Trevor Davison shifts into the starting line-up this weekend, with the front row otherwise unchanged as Emmanuel Iyogun and Curtis Langdon start at loosehead prop and hooker respectively at Saracens.

Saints also remain unchanged across the half-backs, with Fin Smith – whose precision with the boot has seen him make more crossfield kicks (11) and more kicks that have led to a break (4) than any other player across the league this season – joining Premiership centurion Mitchell there.

Rory Hutchinson leads the way for turnovers in the backs across the league (8), and reprises his role in Saints’ centres alongside Tom Litchfield for the trip to London.

George Hendy starts for Saints at fullback after a try-scoring appearance off the bench in South Africa last weekend, while James Ramm and Tommy Freeman man the wings for Northampton at Saracens to complete the starting line-up.

There is room amongst the replacements for internationals Elliot Millar Mills (Scotland), Temo Mayanavanua (Fiji), Fraser Dingwall and Ollie Sleightholme (both England) – while England A stars Tarek Haffar, Henry Pollock and Archie McParland are also set to enter the action at StoneX Stadium.

SARACENS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Gallagher Premiership, Round 8

Sunday 22 December, 2024

StoneX Stadium

Kick-off: 3pm

15 George Hendy

14 Tommy Freeman

13 Tom Litchfield

12 Rory Hutchinson

11 James Ramm

10 Fin Smith

9 Alex Mitchell – 100th Gallagher Premiership appearance