The LV=Cup semi finals take place this weekend with Saracens hosts Saints and Leicester hosting Exeter.
All four sides name vastly more experienced sides than they have in the early rounds, but still include a number of young and exciting players too.
Saracens v Northampton Saints takes place on Saturday at 12.30 at Allianz Park, and Saracens once again hand the armband to young Maro Itoje, who was playing for England U20 in the Junior World Championship back in June.
The young lock leads a side that includes the likes of David Strettle, Rhys Gill, and Ernst Joubert among others, with internationals in George Kruis and Kelly Brown on the bench.
Joining Itoje in the squad are a number of other young players though, including his fellow JWC winner Biyi Alo, and last year’s Millfield School star Tom Whiteley among others.
Northampton Saints meanwhile name a highly experienced side, led by the wise old head that is Phil Downson. The likes of Sam Dickinson, Samu Manoa, Alex Corbisiero, and Kahn Fotuali’i all start, with Callum Clark, Lee Dickson, and Stephen Myler on the bench.
In amongst all of that experience though there is some youth, Sam Olver starts and fly half and Tom Stephenson stars at outside centre. Both were key ben in that 2014 JWC winning squad, Stephenson even played in the Premiership final too.
The second semi final is on at 13.00 on Sunday at Welford Road between Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs.
Leicester have mixed and matched their experience and youth, with Brad Thorn starting along with the likes of Matt Smith, Miles Benjamin and Blaine Scully, while on the bench Logovi’i Mulipola and Julian Salvi both wait.
In the likes of George Catchpole, a JWC winner, at outside centre and Harry Thacker at hooker, among others, they also include plenty of exciting youth.
Exeter have opted for a similar pattern, Welsh international Ceri Sweeney leads from outside half with Haydn Thomas inside him and fellow Welshman Tom James on the wing, Moray Low and Kai Horstmann feature in the pack with Gareth Steenson on the bench among others.
Youth is a feature of their side too though, perhaps the most exciting being Joel Conlon on the bench, though Sam Simmonds, starting at openside, is also a hugely exciting prospect.
They should be two excellent games of rugby, and a great chance to see a few stars of the future in action.
LV=Cup Semi Finals Fixtures:
Saracens v Saints – Saturday, 12.30, Allianz Park
Leicester v Exeter – Sunday, 13.00, Welford Road
Team News:
Saracens:
15 Ben Ransom
14 Mike Ellery
13 Marcelo Bosch
12 Tim Streather
11 David Strettle
10 Nils Mordt
9 Ben Spencer
1 Rhys Gill
2 Jared Saunders
3 Juan Figallo
4 Maro Itoje (c)
5 Hayden Smith
6 Nick De Jager
7 Matt Hankin
8 Ernst Joubert
16 Scott Spurling
17 Richard Barrington
18 Biyi Alo
19 George Kruis
20 Kelly Brown
21 Tom Whiteley
22 Thretton Palamo
23 Catalin Fercu
Northampton Saints:
15 Ahsee Tuala
14 Jamie Elliott
13 Tom Stephenson
12 Dom Waldouck
11 Tom Collins
10 Sam Olver
9 Kahn Fotuali’i
1 Alex Corbisiero
2 Mike Haywood
3 Salesi Ma’afu
4 Samu Manoa
5 Tom Ryder
6 Jon Fisher
7 Phil Dowson (c)
8 Sam Dickinson
16 Matti Williams
17 Ethan Waller
18 Gareth Denman
19 Ben Nutley
20 Calum Clark
21 Lee Dickson
22 Stephen Myler
23 James Wilson
Leicester Tigers:
15 Blaine Scully
14 Matt Smith
13 George Catchpole
12 Christian Loamanu
11 Miles Benjamin
10 Tommy Bell
9 David Mele
1 Michele Rizzo
2 Harry Thacker
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Brad Thorn
5 Sebastian De Chaves (c)
6 Jack Whetton
7 Robert Barbieri
8 Laurence Pearce
16 Neil Briggs
17 Tom Bristow
18 Logovi’i Mulipola
19 Tom Price
20 Julian Salvi
21 Sam Harrison
22 Terrence Hepetema
23 Adam Thompstone
Exeter Chiefs:
15 Max Bodilly
14 Fetu’u Vainikolo
13 Adam Hughes
12 Sireli Naqelevuki
11 Tom James
10 Ceri Sweeney (c)
9 Haydn Thomas
1 Brett Sturgess
2 Elvis Taione
3 Moray Low
4 Mitch Lees
5 Jerry Sexton
6 Ben White
7 Sam Simmonds
8 Kai Horstmann
16 Greg Bateman
17 Carl Rimmer
18 Alex Brown
19 Ed Holmes
20 Joel Conlon
21 Dave Lewis
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Tom Hendrickson
