Northampton Saints are facing an anxious wait over the fitness of four key 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 nursing injuries and remain doubtful for the showpiece event. Adding to the uncertainty is club captain George Furbank, whose potential involvement also hangs in the balance.
Already contending with the confirmed absences of Ollie Sleightholme, George Hendy, Juarno Augustus, and Burger Odendaal, Northampton’s squad depth is under significant pressure. The potential loss of Langdon, Ramm, and Furbank would severely test their resources, particularly in the hooker position and the back three.
Langdon is sidelined with a shoulder issue, Ramm suffered a shin injury in last weekend’s win over Saracens, and Coles is dealing with a knee complaint. All three missed training on Tuesday, casting further doubt over their availability for the final.
Furbank’s situation is particularly complex. The England international has played very little rugby since fracturing his arm in December against the Bulls. Though he returned to action in the quarter-final win over Castres, he took another heavy knock to the same arm, which had been stabilised with a metal plate. That impact left him with ongoing discomfort, and although he has since taken part in training, his involvement remains limited.
Team management is reluctant to make any premature decisions about Furbank, instead opting to assess his condition further after Thursday’s session. If he proves fit enough to feature, even from the bench, his return would offer a significant boost, especially given the shortage of options in the back three.
Should Ramm not recover in time, Tommy Freeman is expected to start at full-back. Meanwhile, if Langdon is ruled out, Northampton may be forced to include Henry Walker a former Ealing reserve hooker among the replacements. These adjustments highlight the squad’s growing vulnerability as they chase their first Champions Cup title since 2000.
On the other side, Bordeaux-Bègles are considerably more optimistic regarding their own fitness concerns. Winger Damian Penaud, who has been in scintillating form with 12 tries in the tournament this season, was a doubt after limping off in the semi-final win over Toulouse with an ankle injury. However, his recovery has progressed well, and his head coach has expressed confidence that the star winger will be fit to play on Saturday.
This weekend marks Bordeaux’s maiden appearance in a Champions Cup final, and the occasion will reach an even broader audience thanks to a new broadcasting arrangement. The match will be shown free-to-air in the UK via BBC iPlayer and Welsh-language channel S4C, following a deal between tournament organisers and rights holders.
As both teams prepare for the biggest game of their seasons, Northampton are racing against the clock to get key players fit, while Bordeaux are looking to carry their momentum into a historic European final. The clash promises high drama, but for the Saints, the outcome may depend as much on their medical updates as on their performance on the pitch.
