Ludlam and Freeman return as Northampton Saints face Bath Rugby

Club captain Lewis Ludlam will make his first appearance of the season in Black, Green and Gold this weekend, as the back row is named in Northampton Saints’ side to face Bath Rugby – with Tommy Freeman also returning from injury to start the match.

Saints return to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens for Round 4 of the Gallagher Premiership, welcoming table-toppers Bath to Northampton on Saturday (4 November, kick-off: 3pm).

Each side claimed a home win when Saints and Bath locked horns last season, with the men in Black, Green and Gold running out 45-26 winners at the Gardens back in March. Northampton also secured a narrow 43-42 victory when Bath came to town in the Premiership Rugby Cup in September.

With Ludlam only returning to the Club earlier this week from Rugby World Cup duty, fullback George Furbank retains Saints’ captaincy for this Saturday’s clash, but the England back row will line-up from the start for Northampton at No.8.

Furbank is joined in the hosts’ back three by the returning Freeman – who missed last week’s victory over Newcastle Falcons through injury – and George Hendy.

Rory Hutchinson and Fraser Dingwall retain their spots in Northampton’s midfield, with Fin Smith and Tom James manning the half-back berths for the fourth week in a row.

Props Alex Waller and Elliot Millar Mills come into Saints’ front row, joining last weekend’s player-of-the-match Curtis Langdon, who keeps his place at hooker.

Alex Moon returns to the starting XV alongside Alex Coles in Saints’ engine room, while in-form flankers Angus Scott-Young and Tom Pearson (who made 29 tackles between them last weekend against Newcastle) line-up alongside Ludlam in the back row.

There is plenty of experience on Saints’ bench, with the likes of Tom Cruse, Ethan Waller and Sam Graham all hoping to make an impact, while Paul Hill and Ollie Sleightholme are also set to make their first appearances of the season from amongst the replacements.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs BATH RUGBY

Gallagher Premiership, Round 4

Saturday 4 November, 2023

cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens

Kick-off: 3pm

15 George Furbank (c)

14 Tommy Freeman

13 Fraser Dingwall

12 Rory Hutchinson

11 George Hendy

10 Fin Smith

9 Tom James

1 Alex Waller

2 Curtis Langdon

3 Elliot Millar Mills

4 Alex Moon

5 Alex Coles

6 Angus Scott-Young

7 Tom Pearson

8 Lewis Ludlam

Replacements:

16 Tom Cruse

17 Ethan Waller

18 Paul Hill

19 Chunya Munga

20 Sam Graham

21 Archie McParland

22 Ollie Sleightholme

23 Tom Seabrook

Not available for selection:

Matthew Arden, Juarno Augustus, Toby Cousins, Trevor Davison, Emmanuel Iyogun, Tarek Haffar, Temo Mayanavanua, Burger Odendaal, James Ramm, Robbie Smith and Kayde Sylvester.

Referee: Adam Leal

Assistant referee: Hamish Grant and Jamie Leahy

No.4: James Pidding

TMO: Dean Richards