Saints team named for Aviva Premiership Rugby semi-final

Posted on May 11, 2012 in Northampton, Premiership

The Northampton Saints team has been named for tomorrow’s Aviva Premiership Rugby semi-final against Harlequins, being played at the Twickenham Stoop at 2:45pm.

After 22 Rounds of intense Aviva Premiership Rugby action the Saints confirmed their semi-final spot with last Saturday’s bonus point win over Worcester.

But while the Saints put five tries past the Warriors director of rugby Jim Mallinder says that the team will have to step up several gears for tomorrow’s trip to table-topping Harlequins.

“Harlequins have led the Premiership pretty much from start to finish, and will no doubt be feeling confident ahead of tomorrow’s game,” he said. “They have won plenty of big games in tough places and have a team which is playing with confidence.

“The forwards have been providing good ball and Nick Easter, Danny Care and Nick Evans have been guiding the rest of the team into the right areas of the field.

“It is going to be a very difficult game for us, but I believe that we have the right mentality and players to be able to get the result we want. Training has been intense and positive this week and everyone has been focused on the challenge in front of them.

“We know we have the team to do well, now it is up to the players to show what they can do.”

Tomorrow’s game sees Ben Foden become the fourth Saint this season to hit his century of appearances in the black, green and gold – the others being Chris Ashton, Lee Dickson and Roger Wilson – and Mallinder paid tribute to the full back.

“We have seen Ben develop his game consistently over the past few years, and he is now one of the important players we have at Franklin’s Gardens,” the Saints boss added. “He has had an outstanding season for us and has shown how good he is at international level as well.

“He is still improving, however, and with the new contract he signed earlier in the season I’m looking forward to seeing him play many more times for the Saints.”

Tickets remain available for tomorrow’s game at the Twickenham Stoop. Supporters who want to travel should contact the Harlequins ticket office directly.

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Harlequins team to face Northampton Saints

Posted on May 11, 2012 in Harlequins, Premiership

Harlequins head into this weekend’s home semi-final after finishing at the top of the Aviva Premiership in the regular season.

This week sees only one change to last week’s starting XV and therefore one change to the bench also.

Mike Brown starts at full back alongside Tom Williams and Sam Smith on the wings. Jordan Turner-Hall and George Lowe continue in the centre outside Nick Evans and Karl Dickson. Dickson comes into the starting line up in place of Danny Care who hasn’t recovered from an injury picked up against Sale Sharks last weekend.

The forward pack is unchanged with Joe Marler, Joe Gray and James Johnston in the front row. Olly Kohn and George Robson start in the second row. Maurie Fa’asavalu, Nick Easter and captain Chris Robshaw complete the forwards in the back-row.

The replacements see Rob Buchanan, Mark Lambert, Will Collier, Tomas Vallejos and Tom Guest covering the forward pack. Richard Bolt comes onto the bench alongside Rory Clegg and Matt Hopper who cover the remaining backs.  

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Record Nine Harlequins Players in England Squad

Posted on May 10, 2012 in Harlequins

A record nine Harlequins players have been named in the England squad announced by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) this morning for next month’s tour to South Africa.

Mike Brown, Danny Care, Joe Gray, George Lowe, Joe Marler, Ugo Monye, Chris Robshaw, George Robson and Jordan Turner-Hall are included in 42 man squad and Robshaw has been named as captain.

The selection of the nine players reflects their performances this season.  Harlequins finished top of the Aviva Premiership last weekend and have a home semi-final play-off match with Northampton Saints on Saturday.

Seven of the nine players are products of the club’s Academy which was recently assessed by the RFU and Premiership Rugby as being one of the best in the country.

Commenting on the players’ selection, Harlequins Director of Rugby Conor O’Shea said, “I’m pleased on two levels.  First of all for the club as the selection of so many players reflects our ambition and is fantastic recognition of the efforts of our squad this season.  Second, from the players’ perspective, their selection is reward for the hard work they’ve put in.                          

“Given the fact that seven of the nine players are products of the club’s Academy, I am sure they would all want to recognise the work that Collin Osborne put in with them initially in setting up the Academy and this has been continued by Tony Diprose, Howard Graham and Jim Evans,” O’Shea added.

Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards: Robshaw wins player of the season

Posted on May 8, 2012 in emb, English Rugby, Premiership

Harlequins back row forward Chris Robshaw was named Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Season at the Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards at the London Hilton, Park Lane this evening (Tuesday 8 May 2012).

Robshaw made his Harlequins debut in January 2006, leading them to the top spot in the Aviva Premiership Rugby league table at the end of the 2011-12 season.

Redhill-born Robshaw captained Millfield before moving to Harlequins. He was educated at Cumnor House School, Surrey, becoming the captain of Harlequins last season.

“This award is richly deserved,” said Harlequins Director of Rugby Conor O’Shea. “What I like about him is that no matter which accolades come his way or what he achieves we all know what comes first with Chris is the team.

“Chris is the sort of guy who’ll never get above himself. For him it is all about the team. He wants nothing more than for the team to be successful.”

This season Robshaw has had a stellar campaign not only leading his club but taking over the England captaincy after the World Cup, leading his side to four victories in five matches during the 2012 RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Three of the victories were away from Twickenham and the fourth was the 30-9 win over Ireland at HQ.

Despite leading his country this season, Robshaw has still played an impressive 16 Aviva Premiership Rugby matches for Harlequins. Last season he was ever-present, playing in all 22 Aviva Premiership Rugby fixtures.

The Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Season award isn’t Robshaw’s only accolade from the Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards as he was selected by former England internationals Austin Healey and Ben Kay as captain of the ESPN Dream Team.  Robshaw was joined by Harlequins’ team-mates Mike Brown, George Lowe, Joe Marler, and Nick Easter.

ESPN analysts Healey and Kay picked five Leicester Tigers in their side, two from Northampton Saints, to add to the five Quins, alongside one player from Saracens and two from Exeter Chiefs.

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Aviva Premiership semi-finals confirmed

Posted on May 8, 2012 in Premiership

The Aviva Premiership Rugby semi-finals 2011-12 have been confirmed, both on Saturday 12 May:

Semi-Final 1:

Harlequins v Northampton Saints – 2.45pm at the Twickenham Stoop – Live on Sky Sports

Semi-Final 2:

Leicester Tigers v Saracens – 5.30pm at Welford Road – Live on ESPN