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Thursday, September 28, 2023
HomeSportRugbyFrancis: Rob will be our inspiration

Francis: Rob will be our inspiration

The gods of rugby pulled a new cruel twist out of their playbook when an historic victory in the East Midlands derby cost Saints captain Rob Horne his career.

The impact of his injury – nerve damage to his arm as he went in to tackle just 13 seconds into the game – has been seismic.

Rob and his young family came to Northampton this season. Despite all the Saints on pitch troubles he managed to look like the missing piece in a back line that has been finding its feet.

Horne_Rob.jpg

He was keeping his head while all about him people were losing theirs – an impressive enough trick for a veteran but an outstanding achievement for a new kid on the block.

Captaincy for the Leicester game was the natural next step.

The feeling among team-mates preparing to go to Wasps on Sunday is ā€œrawā€.

Interim Head Coach Alan Dickens said: ā€œIt was broken to the squad by Matt Lee the head physio here, it was a pretty sombre. A lot of players were dumbounded.

ā€œWe’re devastated at the club with what has happened and Rob having to end his career at the age of 28. Our focus at the moment is to support Rob through this transitional period of his life.

ā€œI cannot speak highly enough of what he did in the build up to the Leicester game, the coaches were unanimous in wanting him to captain the team for the game. He galvanised the squad.

ā€œI’ve said a number of times this year I can’t ask any more of the players. They have been pretty tight. Rob Horne has been part of that group, he is one of their mates, when your mates get injured in that way it affects everyone.ā€

Piers Francis will be lining up alongside Luther Burrell on Sunday.

He said: ā€œIt’s a very tough situation, and one I wouldn’t want to bestow on anybody, for a top guy like Rob it’s even harder for him to swallow. I was massively enjoying my time with him, I was learning from him, the experience he has, the little nuances, I’m going to massively miss him.

ā€œHe was hugely influential, he was one guy but he was hugely influential on the result in Leicester, he was named captain for the week and he got us ready and in a good position and good preparation for the week. The result we got out of that was full credit to him. The kind of stuff I’ve had from him and learned from him, particularly in defence, it’s a tough situation.

ā€œWe’ve been to see him, he is dealing with it now with his family. From a playing group we are very much there for him, whatever we can do, whether that is give him some space, it’s a very tough situation.

ā€œPretty much the whole squad has been to see him, showing the love and I believe he knows that. It is still very fresh.ā€

The team for Sunday is:
15 Ahsee Tuala

14 Ben Foden (capt)

13 Luther Burrell

12 Piers Francis

11 George North

10 Stephen Myler

9 Cobus Reinach

Ā 

1 Alex Waller

2 Mikey Haywood

3 Paul Hill

4 Api Ratuniyarawa

5 James Craig

6 Jamie Gibson

7 Teimana Harrison

8 Mitch Eadie

Ā 

Replacements:

16 Charlie Clare

17 Campese Ma’afu

18 Ehren Painter

19 Alex Moon

20 Heinrich Brüssow

21 Alex Mitchell

22 James Grayson

23 Tom Collins

Steve
Steve
I'm the editor and owner of The NeneQuirer.

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