Northampton Saints are facing an anxious wait over the fitness of four crucial players ahead of their Champions Cup final clash against Bordeaux-Bègles in Cardiff on Saturday.
Hooker Curtis Langdon, lock Alex Coles, and full-back James Ramm are all battling injuries, while club captain George Furbank remains uncertain for the matchday squad. Saints are already missing Ollie Sleightholme, George Hendy, Juarno Augustus, and Burger Odendaal, leaving the team stretched in several key positions.
Langdon is dealing with a shoulder issue, Coles has a knee injury, and Ramm suffered a shin knock in the semi-final win over Saracens. None of the three were fit to train on Tuesday. Furbank, who broke his arm in December against the Bulls and aggravated it during the quarter-final against Castres, remains a doubt despite undergoing surgery to insert a metal plate.
Director of rugby Phil Dowson said Furbank had a “limited” role in training and that a final decision would be made after Thursday’s session. “We’ve been down this road before with Furbs,” said Dowson. “He’s feeling good, but we won’t rush it.”
If Ramm fails to recover, Tommy Freeman may shift to full-back, with Furbank possibly named on the bench. Should Langdon be unavailable, Saints could be forced to call on Henry Walker, a former Ealing reserve, as cover at hooker.
Meanwhile, Bordeaux appear more settled. Star winger Damian Penaud, who has scored 12 tries in this season’s competition, is expected to be fit after recovering from an ankle injury sustained in the semi-final against Toulouse. Head coach Yannick Bru confirmed that Penaud had responded well to treatment.
The match marks Bordeaux’s first appearance in a Champions Cup final and will be widely accessible to viewers in the UK. Thanks to a new broadcast deal, the game will air free on BBC iPlayer and Welsh-language channel S4C, following an agreement between Premier Sports and the tournament’s organisers.
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