JIM MALLINDER has played down fears about Brian Mujati’s injury after the prop was forced off the pitch twice at Kingsholm on Saturday.
Mujati took a blow to his shin which forced Paul Doran-Jones into the action after 34 minutes of Saints’ 24-19 win at Gloucester.
But with two forwards, Doran-Jones and Gerrit-Jan van Velze, both being sent to the sin bin inside the final 13 minutes, Mujati returned to the action.
However, he could only take part in one scrum before again heading off the field, with Alex Waller the replacement second time round.
Mallinder, though, is not concerned about the problem which curtailed Mujati’s match and the signs appear to be good ahead of Sunday’s clash with Exeter Chiefs at Franklin’s Gardens.
“He’s a bit sore,” said the Saints director of rugby. “He got a bang to his shin so he’s a bit sore but hopefully with a bit of ice and a bit of rest and a bit of loving he’ll be fine.”
New boy Dom Waldouck also took a knock, which saw him leave the field looking dazed as fellow summer signing Luther Burrell got his first taste of Premiership action for Saints.
But Mallinder says Waldouck is fine and hailed the performance of the former Wasps centre alongside two-try hero George Pisi.
“He had a good debut,” said the Saints boss. “He’s a physical lad is Dom and he plays that way.
“Him and George Pisi are going to be a good pairing in the centre and again (like Mujati), he just took a little knock, but it’s better to get your fresh blood on.”
Gloucester coach Nigel Davies was left frustrated by his team’s inability to finish off Saints.
He said: “I am really disappointed that we worked so hard to get back into that game and we couldn’t finish it off.
“I think the pleasure I take from that is that we don’t need to panic.
“If we play our game and play to our structures and play in the right areas, we have the capabilities of beating sides.
“Northampton are, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best teams in Europe and we were very close to beating them.”