Northampton Saints make 6 changes for Champions Cup quarters

Northampton Saints have made six changes to their starting XV for Friday night’s Investec Champions Cup quarter-final trip to Bath, as Phil Dowson’s men target a third successive appearance in the competition’s semi-finals.

The clash at The Rec marks Saints’ third consecutive quarter-final in Europe’s top competition, having previously won away at Bulls and Castres Olympique at this stage in recent seasons.

Northampton booked their place in the last eight with an entertaining 49-41 victory over Castres last weekend and now return to face a Gallagher PREM rival for the second time in the current campaign.

A rotated Saints side came away from The Rec with a 41–21 win back in December, when Tommy Freeman crossed for a hat-trick, and Phil Dowson’s side will be looking to draw belief from that performance despite the step up in intensity that knockout European rugby brings.

Ollie Sleightholme will win his 100th cap for the club in the quarter-final, leading Saints out on the left wing in place of the injured James Ramm.

He is joined in the back three by Freeman on the opposite flank, with George Furbank returning to full-back to captain the side.

Rory Hutchinson is one of the changes in the midfield, coming into the starting XV to partner Fraser Dingwall in the centres.

In the halves, England star Fin Smith returns after missing last week’s round-of-16 tie through concussion and starts at fly-half alongside Archie McParland.

Saints also freshen up their front row. Curtis Langdon named at hooker and Cleopas Kundiona coming in at tighthead, while Danilo Fischetti continues on the loosehead side.

Tom Lockett and JJ van der Mescht retain their places in the second-row, while Tom Pearson returns at openside flanker, where he is joined in the back row by Josh Kemeny on the blindside and Henry Pollock at No.8.

Dowson has opted for a five-three split on the bench, which includes forwards Emmanuel Iyogun, Elliot Millar Mills, Callum Chick and Tom Litchfield.

There is also a welcome return from injury among the replacements, with both Alex Mitchell and George Hendy included in the matchday 23.

Kick-off at The Rec is scheduled for 8pm (BST) on Friday night.

Northampton Saints:
1 Danilo Fischetti, 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Cleopas Kundiona, 4 Tom Lockett, 5 JJ Van Der Mescht, 6 Josh Kemeny, 7 Tom Pearson, 8 Henry Pollock, 9 Archie McParland, 10 Fin Smith, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 14 Tommy Freeman, 15 George Furbank (c)

Replacements:
16 Craig Wright, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Ed Prowse, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Tom Litchfield, 23 George Hendy