Saints sign front row cover for Champions Cup quarter-final after EPCR permit player's registration

Saints sign front row cover for Champions Cup quarter-final after EPCR permit player's registration

The EPCR Board has today unanimously agreed to a change in the Tournament Rules which permits the registration of front row players after the September 1 deadline.

“We are pleased that EPCR have adopted a sensible approach in today’s ruling,” said Mark Darbon, Northampton Saints Chief Executive.

“Given the length of time it took for this decision to be made, and the challenge of bringing in new players at this stage of the season, especially with all of the COVID-19 related measures in place, we would like to thank Gloucester Rugby who have agreed to loan us their 22-year old loosehead prop, Alex Seville, on a short-term basis until the end of September.

“Alex will join up with the squad on Friday and will be available for our European Champions Cup quarter-final match on Sunday.

“We are also grateful to Exeter Chiefs for the pragmatism they have shown in supporting today’s decision.”


This comes after Saints had a number of injuries in their front row. Northampton had 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.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 

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

A post shared by Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) on 


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

 

 

 

Latest News