Dawson considers casting options for Prim’s return
Northampton Saints Director of Rugby, Phil Dawson, faces some difficult selection decisions as they return to Prem Rugby action following the Autumn International Series.
The Saints will play away to Bristol Bears on Saturday, their first league game since 43-31 win over Saracens on October 24and they will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign.
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This will then be followed by the first two European Champions Cup matches of the season, away to Pau and at home to Pretoria Bulls.
England trio Alex Mitchell, Alex Coles and Henry Pollock have played in all four international matches in the autumn, so must miss one of the next three matches, unless Northampton applies to the Rugby Football Union for a special dispensation.
However, this will not apply to fly-half Finn Smith and center Fraser Dingwall, who did not feature in the full schedule.
Meanwhile, winger Tommy Freeman is still receiving treatment for a hamstring injury which has seen him stop playing for England and Scot Rory Hutchinson does not meet the availability criteria.
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While that group was off international duty, the Saints beat Harlequins in the Prem Rugby Cup, but then lost to Newcastle Red Bulls and Leicester Tigers.
“In the People’s Republic of China, we give players the opportunity, put them under pressure and they discover more about themselves. We will get everything out of that match.” [against Leicester] “In terms of our review,” Dawson told BBC Radio Northampton.
“Let’s make sure that when we go into a Bristol game, we’re whispering and commenting.
“[But] “We have to take into account the headspace of those players who have come out of the England camp and where they are, and what brings the best out of them over the next three months rather than the next three weeks.”
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One piece of good news for the Saints is fullback George Furbank will make his first appearance of the season in two PRC matches after suffering a calf injury.
“Trusting your body again after being away for so long is a tough thing to do mentally, but it’s nice to be back out there,” he said.
“We are back in the Premier League and Europe now. We are in a good position in the Premier League and we want to start Europe well.
“We won away there (in Bristol) a long time ago, but we’ve been good away from home this year, so we’ll have a lot of confidence in doing that.”