PETER STRINGER WILL be the only Irish player involved in the finals weekend of this season’s European club competitions.
The experienced scrum-half is on the bench for Bath in this evening’s Amlin Challenge Cup final against Northampton at Cardiff Arms Park [KO 8.00pm], with Micky Young preferred in the number nine shirt.
36-year-old Stringer was first-choice at Bath for the majority of the season, starting 14 Premiership games, but has recently been used as back-up to the in-form Young, formerly of Leicester.
However, Stringer is likely to be used as a replacement, having done so on four occasions in this competition already during the current campaign. His rapid service and composed influence may have a decisive say in the outcome of this fixture.
Meanwhile, Northampton have dropped Samoan international Kahn Fotuali’i for Lee Dickson at scrum-half, and welcome back Lions prop Alex Corbisiero for tonight’s clash.
Salesi Ma’afu is suspended after his punch on Tom Youngs in the Premiership semi-finals, meaning Tom Mercey starts at tighthead prop, while Calum Clark and Ken Pisi also come into the team to face Bath.
Bath: Nick Abendanon; Semesa Rokoduguni, Jonathan Joseph, Ollie Devoto, Anthony Watson; George Ford, Micky Young; Paul James, Tom Dunn, David Wilson; Stuart Hooper (capt.), Dave Attwood; Carl Fearns, Francois Louw, Leroy Houston.
Replacements: Eusebio Guinazu, Nathan Catt, Anthony Perenise, Dominic Day, Guy Mercer, Peter Stringer, Gavin Henson, Horacio Agulla.
Northampton: Ben Foden; Ken Pisi, George Pisi, Luther Burrell, George North; Stephen Myler, Lee Dickson; Alex Corbisiero, Mike Haywood, Tom Mercey; Samu Manoa, Courtney Lawes; Calum Clark, Tom Wood (capt.), Sam Dickinson.
Replacements: Ross Mcmillan, Alex Waller, Gareth Denman, Christian Day, Phil Dowson, Kahn Fotuali’i, James Wilson, Tom Stephenson.
