PREVIEW: SHEFFIELD v FOXES
NIELS-Kristian Iversen will make his Northampton Foxes debut when they travel to Sheffield in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership on Thursday (7.30pm).
The former World No.3 has been sidelined from British racing since crashing out of Nicolai Klindt’s Testimonial meeting at King’s Lynn in March.
Iversen suffered concussion and a punctured lung in the incident and the latter injury resulted in him being prevented from flying on medical advice, although he has been back in action elsewhere on mainland Europe.
It means he has missed the Foxes’ first six fixtures, but the Danish star is now available to make the trip and will line up at Owlerton in the No.4 riding position.
However, Northampton do have other issues to contend with, as Matej Zagar remains on the sidelines with a broken ankle and options for cover are restricted by the fact that all six Premiership teams are scheduled to be in action on Thursday.
Manager Chris Adams has therefore called on Justin Sedgmen, who races for Championship club Edinburgh, to fill the gap with the Australian having had several spells in Sheffield colours earlier in his career.
Elsewhere, Rising Star Luke Harrison is ruled out by concussion protocols after last week’s frightening crash at the Shaleway, and reigning British Under-21 Champion Sam Hagon will step in.
Hagon rode for Adams at Birmingham last season with his best meeting coming at Owlerton where he scored 8+1 from five rides, and he lines up at reserve alongside Kye Thomson who has been a huge success story of Northampton’s season so far.
Thomson had a short Premiership stint with King’s Lynn in 2023 but he has now taken his Foxes chance with both hands, and racked up an incredible 18+1 score at the Shaleway last week.
Thomson said: “I was kind of put in the deep end back then and things didn’t work out the way I wanted them to – but skip that, we’re back and definitely a lot more ready.
“Team-wise it’s a bit tough, it’s a fresh team but it’s a bit depleted with injuries at the moment.
“Our guests last week put in a good stint and we got so close in the end before we got pipped by some experienced boys.”
Sheffield track a powerhouse spearhead of World No.5 Jack Holder and the spectacular Josh Pickering, whilst former World Champion Chris Holder is expected to be fit to ride after taking a knock last week.
Reserve Jye Etheridge was a mid-meeting withdrawal when the Tigers defeated Ipswich, but he is also set to line up in a full-strength home side.
SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder, Anders Rowe, Chris Holder, Leon Flint, Josh Pickering, Jye Etheridge, Luke Killeen.
NORTHAMPTON: Jaimon Lidsey, Troy Batchelor, Justin Sedgmen, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Nicolai Klindt, Kye Thomson, Sam Hagon.