SAXONS STARTING XV FOR SANDY PARK
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- Created on Thursday, 26 January 2012 10:39
- Last Updated on Thursday, 26 January 2012 19:16
- Published on Thursday, 26 January 2012 10:39
James Gaskell will lead England Saxons for the first time against the O2 Ireland Wolfhounds at Exeter on Saturday (1700).
Gaskell, 21, captained Sale Sharks last season and leads a Saxons side with an average age of just 24 years and four months at Sandy Park.
Saxons' new look XV includes senior internationals Delon Armitage, Bath wing Matt Banahan, Ugo Monye, Matt Mullan and Paul Doran-Jones in the starting line-up.
Exeter-born Quins centre Matt Hopper, half backs Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby) and Ben Spencer, and No. 8 Thomas Waldrom feature for the Saxons for the first time with more newcomers on the bench in the shape of hooker Chris Brooker and wing Jonny May.
“It is a new era for us, there’s a lot of youth and energy in this squad and we’ll go into the game with a ‘no fear’ attitude,” said England Saxons coach Jon Callard.
“We want to see the players express themselves and at the same time develop the streak of pragmatism you need to win big games. We’ve seen in Europe the strength of Irish rugby at the moment but the challenge motivates and excites us.”
England Saxons
15 Delon Armitage (London Irish)
14 Ugo Monye (Harlequins)
13 Matt Hopper (Harlequins)
12 Billy Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers)
11 Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby)
10 Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
9 Ben Spencer (Saracens)
1 Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
2 Joe Gray (Harlequins)
3 Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints)
4 Matt Garvey (London Irish)
5 George Robson (Harlequins)
6 James Gaskell (Sale Sharks, captain)
7 Andy Saull (Saracens)
8 Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)
Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker (Harlequins), 17 Rupert Harden (Gloucester), 18 Kearnan Myall (Sale Sharks), 19 Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), 20 Paul Hodgson (London Irish), 21 Ryan Lamb (Northampton Saints), 22 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby).
Starter at 10: Gloucester's Bath-born fly half Freddie Burns (portrait, phil mingo at pinnacle)
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