Phil Dowson has named his Northampton Saints squad for this weekend’s East Midlands Derby against Leicester Tigers, with the sides set to meet at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday (9 May, kick-off: 3.05pm).
Saints head back into the Gallagher PREM at the top of the table ahead of Round 15, having won their last eight matches in the league – with their most recent victory over second-place Bath Rugby putting them four points clear in first.
The last nine meetings between Saints and Tigers have gone the way of the home side all but once, while Northampton’s last league victory in Leicester came in a 19-18 thriller back in 2023.
A bonus-point win for the men in Black, Green and Gold would seal their place in the competition’s play-offs with three rounds to spare and would secure them a season double over their closest neighbours – with Saints having already secured victory over Leicester in the reverse fixture at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
George Furbank returns to action for Northampton to lead the side from fullback this weekend, with George Hendy shifting to the wing to join the PREM’s second top try-scorer Tommy Freeman there, who has 13 scores to his name so far.
Fraser Dingwall and Rory Hutchinson reprise their partnership at centre in Leicester, starting outside Saints’ British & Irish Lions half-back duo of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith at Welford Road.
Props Emmauel Iyogun and Luke Green retain their spots in Northampton’s starting line-up, with Scotland international Robbie Smith coming into the front row at hooker for the Derby clash.
JJ Van Der Mescht – who sits second in the league for dominant carries (36) and third for post-contact metres (178) – starts for Northampton in the second row this weekend, joining Tom Lockett in the engine room in Leicester.
Callum Chick marks the only change to Saints’ back row, as he join flankers Josh Kemeny and Sam Graham there in Round 15.
Northampton name a six-two bench to face Leicester, with the likes of Craig Wright, Ed Prowse and Henry Pollock named as replacements in the forwards, while Archie McParland and Tom Litchfield provide the backs cover.
LEICESTER TIGERS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Gallagher PREM, Round 15
Saturday 9 May, 2026
Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Kick-off: 3.05pm
15 George Furbank (c)
14 Tommy Freeman
13 Rory Hutchinson
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 George Hendy
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell
1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Robbie Smith
3 Luke Green
4 Tom Lockett
5 JJ Van Der Mescht
6 Josh Kemeny
7 Sam Graham
8 Callum Chick
Replacements:
16 Craig Wright
17 Tom West
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Ed Prowse
20 Chunya Munga
21 Henry Pollock
22 Archie McParland
23 Tom Litchfield
Not available for selection:
Alex Coles, Trevor Davison, Tom James, Cleopas Kundiona, Curtis Langdon, Henry Lumley, Tom Pearson, James Ramm, Freddie St John, Edoardo Todaro and Charlie Ulcoq.
TIGERS TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Freddie Steward, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Will Wand, 12 Orlando Bailey, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 James O’Connor, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Ollie Chessum (c), 5 George Martin, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Joaquin Moro.
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Archie van der Flier, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Cameron Henderson, 20 Samuel Williams, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Solomone Kata, 23 Izaia Perese.
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales and Simon Harding
No. 4: James Clarke
TMO: Stuart Terheege