RYAN Hutler retains the full-back shirt for Coventry Rugby’s crunch Premiership Rugby Cup clash against Northampton Saints this weekend.
The 27-year-old switched from outside centre to full-back in Cov’s 76-21 win against Nottingham last time out with Charlie Robson struck down by illness.
And Tom Hitchcock and Daf-Rhys Tiueti play at centre after both scored tries in the win against Nottingham.
On-loan scrum-half Sam Maunder joins Tommy Mathews at half-back with hat-trick hero Jimmy Martin partnering David Opoku on the wing.
In the pack, Coventry head coach Alex Rae names the same starting eight who have appeared in all of the club’s four outings since the turn of the year.
Young tighthead prop Eliot Salt makes another front row start alongside former Northampton loosehead Toby Trinder and skipper Jordon Poole.
And former Saint Aaron Hinkley starts alongside Tom Ball and Tiki Nayalo in Cov’s back row.
Fit-again Rhys Anstey provides bench support to second-rows James Tyas and Obi Nkwocha while replacement hooker Will Biggs is also available.
Robson is also named on the bench alongside fellow backs Josh Barton and Theo Mannion who made his seasonal bow last weekend.
Rae said: “Northampton are a brilliant team who play a great style of rugby.
“I don’t think it makes any difference who is there and who isn’t, they’re Premiership champions and have only lost a couple of home games in recent years which tells you what a formidable place it is to go and play.
“We’re really looking forward to testing ourselves against the best. We had a hard game against them in tough conditions in November when they showed us plenty of respect by selecting a strong team. I hope it’s the same again so we get a measure of where we’re at.
“I started my career at Franklin’s Gardens and it’s a fantastic place for the lads to go and play on probably the best pitch in England in a proper rugby town that’s full of history.”
Coventry Rugby’s line-up vs Northampton Saints
Coventry: Ryan Hutler; David Opoku, Daf-Rhys Tiueti, Tom Hitchcock, Jimmy Martin; Tommy Mathews, Sam Maunder; Toby Trinder, Jordon Poole, Eliot Salt; Obinna Nkwocha, James Tyas; Tom Ball, Aaron Hinkley, Senitiki Nayalo.
Replacements: Will Biggs, Jevaughn Warren, Vilikesa Nairau, Rhys Anstey, Dan Okeke, Josh Barton, Charlie Robson, Theo Mannion
Coventry travel to Northampton on Saturday, February 8 with kick-off at 2.45pm at Franklin’s Gardens.
