Preview: Northampton Saints vs Leicester Tigers - prediction, team news, lineups

Northampton Saints invited Leicester Tigers to Franklin's Gardens connected Friday evening for the archetypal of this weekend's Premiership Rugby playoff semi-finals.

The Saints fell to decision precocious connected against Harlequins astatine Twickenham Stoop successful their last lucifer of the regular league campaign, portion the Tigers were incapable to publication a location semi-final arsenic they narrowly mislaid 24-22 to Bath astatine the Recreational Stadium.

Match preview

Despite falling to decision astatine Franklin’s Gardens against Harlequins connected the last day, Northampton sailed into the playoffs with a location semi-final and a spot astatine the apical of the league array for the 2nd clip successful the erstwhile 3 seasons.

After a disappointing effort astatine retaining their Premiership crown past season, finishing eighth with conscionable 44 points, Phil Dowson’s men person bounced backmost successful emphatic manner this campaign, winning 14 games and tallying 5 much points than 2nd placed Bath.

In fact, nary broadside has earned much than the Saints’ full of 74 points aft 18 matches successful a azygous Premiership play since the league was reduced from 13 teams successful the 2022-23 campaign.

Although they were beaten past weekend, Northampton caput into the playoffs successful large signifier too, winning 10 of their erstwhile 12 Premiership matches and failing to suffer a azygous league crippled astatine Franklin's Gardens this season.

Having fallen to a 41-17 decision against Leicester conscionable 1 period ago, Northampton volition nary uncertainty beryllium anxious to inflict immoderate payback connected the Tigers this Friday evening and publication their spot successful the last for lone the 2nd clip successful the erstwhile 12 seasons.

Leicester narrowly missed retired connected booking their ain location semi-final past play arsenic they were narrowly beaten 24-22 by Bath astatine the Recreational Stadium.

Starting the time successful 3rd spot and trailing the Blue, Black and Whites by lone 2 points, the Tigers knew that immoderate triumph would apt person them facing either Johann van Graan’s broadside oregon the Exeter Chiefs this weekend.

However, contempt a precocious crusade connected the Bath effort line, Geoff Parling’s men fell agonisingly abbreviated successful Somerset and alternatively were leapfrogged by the Chiefs successful the table, dropping to fourth.

It is not conscionable past Saturday’s crippled that proved costly for the Tigers though, who picked up conscionable 12 points successful their last 5 league matches, a tally lone Bristol Bears and Newcastle Red Bulls failed to conscionable implicit that stretch.

Despite this, Leicester volition undoubtedly caput into the lucifer assured that they tin crook their sticky spot astir and flooded a Northampton broadside who they person beaten successful 4 of the erstwhile six encounters betwixt the teams.

Northampton Premiership Rugby form:

Leicester Tigers Premiership Rugby form:

Team News

After fielding a heavy rotated broadside against Harlequins past weekend, the Saints person reverted backmost to afloat spot for the sojourn of Parling's men, making 11 changes to the starting 15.

Amongst those returning to the backline are England internationals George Furbank, Tommy Freeman and Finn Smith, with Tom Litchfield the lone 1 to support his spot astatine extracurricular centre.

Emmanuel Iyogun, who is acceptable to tally his 100th Northampton quality connected Friday night, is 1 of six changes successful the battalion for the location side, alongside the likes of Alex Coles and Henry Pollock.

Leicester person made 2 changes to the scrum that faced Bath past Saturday, with Cameron Henderson and Olly Cracknell making mode for George Martin and Joaquin Moro.

As for the backs, determination are a trio of alterations for the Tigers with Ollie Hassell-Collins joining wounded returnees Freddie Steward and Billy Searle successful the starting lineup.

Northampton Saints starting lineup:

15 Furbank, 14 Freeman, 13 Litchfield, 12 Hutchinson, 11 Hendy, 10 Smith, 9 McParland; 1 Iyogun, 2 Langdon, 3 Millar Mills, 4 Coles, 5 Prowse, 6 Kemeny, 7 Pearson, 8 Pollock

Replacements:

16 Wright, 17 Fischetti, 18 Green, 19 van der Mescht, 20 Lockett, 21 Chick, 22 Weimann, 23 Dingwall

Leicester Tigers starting lineup:

15 Steward, 14 Radwan, 13 Wand, 12 Bailey, 11 Hassell-Collins, 10 Searle, 9 van Poortvleit; 1 Smith, 2 Blamire, 3 Heyes, 4 Martin, 5 Chessum, 6 Liebenberg, 7 Reffell, 8 Moro

Replacements:

16 Clare, 17 van der Flier, 18 Hurd, 19 Henderson, 20 Cracknell, 21 Whiteley, 22 Kata, 23 Perese

We say: Northampton Saints 28-20 Leicester Tigers

While some teams failed to prime up their desired results past weekend, Friday's lucifer is bound to beryllium highly competitive, with neither broadside convincingly pulling distant implicit the people of the 80 minutes.

However, we deliberation that Northampton volition conscionable person the borderline implicit the Tigers and physique connected their good play frankincense acold by booking their spot astatine the Allianz Stadium adjacent Sunday.