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Northampton wait on Dylan Hartley’s fitness for Premiership final Northampton wait on Dylan Hartley’s fitness for Premiership final
(3 months later)
Northampton will wait until Friday before deciding whether to include the England hooker Dylan Hartley in their match-day squad for the Premiership final against Saracens at Twickenham. Northampton will wait until Friday before deciding whether to include the England hooker Dylan Hartley in their match-day squad for the Premiership final against Saracens at Twickenham.
Hartley, the Saints’ captain, has not played since suffering a fractured shoulder against Leicester at the end of March. He has returned to full training but the club’s medical team have yet to decide if he is ready to return to action. If the hooker is ruled out, he would then have to wait to be told whether he would be joining the England squad in New Zealand.Hartley, the Saints’ captain, has not played since suffering a fractured shoulder against Leicester at the end of March. He has returned to full training but the club’s medical team have yet to decide if he is ready to return to action. If the hooker is ruled out, he would then have to wait to be told whether he would be joining the England squad in New Zealand.
“It is touch and go whether we chance him,” said Jim Mallinder, the Northampton director of rugby. “Dylan is desperate to play and, as I have said for the past few weeks, he is improving every day and he should be fit for New Zealand. He has been training with the team this week and all that is holding him back is getting full strength back in the shoulder.“It is touch and go whether we chance him,” said Jim Mallinder, the Northampton director of rugby. “Dylan is desperate to play and, as I have said for the past few weeks, he is improving every day and he should be fit for New Zealand. He has been training with the team this week and all that is holding him back is getting full strength back in the shoulder.
“Dylan is an outstanding player and one of the best hookers around, but we have to consider his health. And if he is fit to be in the 23, do we start him? As far as the England tour goes, Stuart Lancaster has said that if Dylan plays against Saracens he will be on the tour, but he has not said that if he does not appear that he will not be on the plane.”“Dylan is an outstanding player and one of the best hookers around, but we have to consider his health. And if he is fit to be in the 23, do we start him? As far as the England tour goes, Stuart Lancaster has said that if Dylan plays against Saracens he will be on the tour, but he has not said that if he does not appear that he will not be on the plane.”
Hartley apart, Mallinder has no injury concerns for Saturday’s final. Northampton have never won the Premiership and lost to Leicester at this stage a year ago when Hartley was sent off just before half-time. But they are in confident mood after defeating Bath in last week’s Amlin Challenge Cup final, the day before Toulon defeated Saracens to retain the Heineken Cup. “We picked a strong side against Bath and it paid off because we won a trophy and we did not pick up any serious injuries,” said Mallinder. “This is the strongest squad we have had in my time here and you can see that by the calibre of players we have on the bench.Hartley apart, Mallinder has no injury concerns for Saturday’s final. Northampton have never won the Premiership and lost to Leicester at this stage a year ago when Hartley was sent off just before half-time. But they are in confident mood after defeating Bath in last week’s Amlin Challenge Cup final, the day before Toulon defeated Saracens to retain the Heineken Cup. “We picked a strong side against Bath and it paid off because we won a trophy and we did not pick up any serious injuries,” said Mallinder. “This is the strongest squad we have had in my time here and you can see that by the calibre of players we have on the bench.
“Northampton is a rugby town and if we were to win the Premiership the effects would be massive. We will have to match Saracens physically, and while we have come back to win matches recently with strong second-half performances, Saracens are not a side you want to be chasing. I do not see why we cannot play like Toulon against them.”“Northampton is a rugby town and if we were to win the Premiership the effects would be massive. We will have to match Saracens physically, and while we have come back to win matches recently with strong second-half performances, Saracens are not a side you want to be chasing. I do not see why we cannot play like Toulon against them.”