Phil Dowson has rung the changes to his Northampton Saints side ahead of this weekend’s trip to Exeter Chiefs, as the Gallagher PREM makes its return for Round 13.
Saints’ last meeting with Chiefs in the league came all the way back in Round 1, when the sides opened the season with a 33-33 draw at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
Since then, Northampton have propelled themselves to the top of the PREM standings and are on a six-game winning run in the league – topping the stats tables for carries (1,583), metres made (6,502) and points scored (439) in the PREM.
Chiefs, meanwhile, sit third in the table after 12 rounds, and have lost just once at Sandy Park in all competitions this term – with Saints’ last success in the West Country coming back in January 2024.
Alex Mitchell, Fraser Dingwall and George Hendy mark the three edits to Saints’ backs, starting at scrum-half, centre and wing respectively as the side head to Sandy Park.
Fin Smith stays on at fly-half for the clash in Exeter while winger Ollie Sleightholme and centre Tom Litchfield start once again for Northampton, with George Furbank captaining Saints from fullback.
Cleopas Kundiona is the only front rower that remains from Saints’ outing at Bath last week as he starts at tighthead prop, with loosehead prop Emmanuel Iyogun and hooker Craig Wright coming into the starting line-up to complete this week’s front row.
Ed Prowse partners Tom Lockett in the second row in Exeter, while Josh Kemeny is joined by returning Sam Graham and No.8 Callum Chick in the back row for Saints.
Saints opt for a bench with plenty of firepower in Round 13, with British & Irish Lions duo Henry Pollock and Tommy Freeman named amongst the replacements.
Scotland’s Elliot Millar Mills is set to bring up a half-century of Saints appearances off the bench, while the likes of Robbie Smith, JJ Van Der Mescht and Archie McParland are also primed to enter the action.
EXETER CHIEFS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Gallagher PREM, Round 13
Saturday 18 April, 2026
Sandy Park
Kick-off: 3.05pm
15 George Furbank (c)
14 George Hendy
13 Tom Litchfield
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 Ollie Sleightholme
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell
1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Craig Wright
3 Cleopas Kundiona
4 Ed Prowse
5 Tom Lockett
6 Josh Kemeny
7 Sam Graham
8 Callum Chick
Replacements:
16 Robbie Smith
17 Tom West
18 Elliot Millar Mills – 50th Saints appearance
19 JJ Van Der Mescht
20 Henry Pollock
21 Archie McParland
22 James Pater
23 Tommy Freeman
Not available for selection:
Alex Coles, Trevor Davison, Tom James, Curtis Langdon, Henry Lumley, Tom Pearson, James Ramm, Edoardo Todaro and Charlie Ulcoq.
EXETER TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Olly Woodburn, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Will Rigg, 11 Campbell Ridl, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stephen Varney; 1 Scott Sio, 2 Jack Yeandle, 3 Jimmy Roots, 4 Dafydd Jenkins (c), 5 Andrea Zambonin, 6 Tom Hooper, 7 Ross Vintcent, 8 Greg Fisilau.
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Ethan Burger, 18 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 19 Rusi Tuima, 20 Ethan Roots, 21 Tom Cairns, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Paul Brown-Bampoe.
Referee: Adam Leal
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe and Jonathan Healy
No.4: Veryan Boscawen
TMO: Stuart Terheege