Gloucester Rugby vs Northampton Saints

A couple of penalties go against Saints and Gloucester call for the shot at goal, which will end the game, although the TMO is looking at potential foul play from the previous lineout.

The referee changes his mind after seeing a replay and awards a scrum to Gloucester, who win a penalty and kick to touch. Time very much against Saints now.

High tackle now against the hosts and Saints are back inside the 22 with the penalty. Ludlam wins the lineout and Northampton build the phases. The referee hits the deck and the visitors are awarded a scrum.

Penalty for offside against Ford-Robinson and Furbank kicks to the corner, but Gloucester steal the lineout.

One poor pass in midfield from Saints undoes their good work. Gloucester get the scrum just outside their own 22.

Saints building from their own half here, Ludlam and Nansen making the hard yards.

Gloucester win a turnover on Northampton's 22, but Francis is there to make a big hit and halts the attack in its tracks. Saints get the scrum. Next score absolutely crucial here.

Patient play from Saints and they have the advantage as Atkinson is penalised for not rolling. Furbank attempts a crossfield kick but it's just too long for Freeman, so we come back for the penalty.

The ball goes loose from the lineout and the hosts clear to touch on the 22. Here come Francis, James and Carey for Saints.

Penalty against Hastings and Furbank sends the ball into the corner...

Nansen enters the field for Saints as Mitchell takes a quick-tap penalty to advantage 30 metres up the pitch. Haywood charges up the right wing, and as he's tackled, Gloucester hack the ball into touch. Northampton with a mountain to climb here with 19 minutes left.

50-22 from Hastings after the Gloucester fly-half spins out of a tackle. Saints have some defending to do here, and promptly turn it over.

Saints ring the changes as Haywood, Hobbs-Awoyemi, Harrison enter the action.

A couple of reset scrums before Gloucester earn a free-kick. A really scrappy passage of play follows, and Mitchell goes for a 50-22. He doesn't find touch, and the hosts clear to close to halfway.

Collins looks to break from deep for Saints, but is hauled down well by Reid. Then there's a knock-on from Coles and Gloucester get the scrum.

Collins unlucky to get pinged for holding on and Gloucester kick to the five-metre line again.

A lot of kick tennis as both sides look for territory, and the hosts get lucky as one kick looks set to go long, but hits the post to stay in. Furbank clears to the 22.

Error from Carreras as he drops a high ball on his own 22 under no pressure, and Saints have a scrum.

Lungbusting passage of play here as both sides almost score from deep! Hutchinson makes a brilliant break from close to his own line, before Ludlam trucks it up. Hutchinson attempts a crossfield kick but Thorley gathers and calls the mark.

Rapava-Ruskin is offside and Saints kick to the five-metre line, as Coles returns to the field.

Gloucester knock-on now from a lineout and Saints have a platform to attack. Mitchell looks to whip the ball out of a ruck and is blocked by Hastings, allowing Biggar to kick a penalty towards the 22. The sin-bin period is nearly over for Saints.

A scrappy few phases sees both sides knock-on. Gloucester to restart with a scrum inside Saints' half.

A couple more penalties against Saints on their own five-metre line, but the hosts cannot make it count as they knock on and Mitchell box-kicks to safety once more for Northampton.

There's a late tackle on Chapman, called in by the TMO, and Hastings kicks to the corner...

Replacement for Saints as Lawes walks off nursing a hand injury, Coles enters the action. Meanwhile Augustus makes an impressive carry but Gloucester stuff out the attack.

Mitchell's kick is charged down but Gloucester then knock-on inside the 22, and Saints' scrum-half makes amends to clear well to halfway.

Gloucester come close to scoring again but Biggar is taken out off the ball and Saints are able to clear to halfway from the resulting penalty.

The referee seems to block off Saints in attack there, and after a good carry from Waller it's Gloucester's turn to win a penalty as they get themselves over the ball.

Early penalty for Saints as Socino is penalised for not rolling, and Biggar points to the posts but hits the post with the tricky attempt and Gloucester are able to clear to touch.

Here come the teams then, and we'll be underway shortly after a minute's silence for the victims of the conflict in Ukraine.

The men in Black, Green and Gold are on a run of five matches unbeaten in all competitions, scoring four or more tries in each of those matches.

Their last defeat however was against tonight's opponents, 35-30 back in early March.

It has been a mixed record against the Cherry & Whites in recent years for Saints; out of the last 12 meetings between the sides in all competitions, Northampton and Gloucester have won six apiece.

GLOUCESTER: Carreras, Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, Thorley, Hastings, Chapman; Rapava-Ruskin, Socino, Balmain, Clarke, Alemanno, Reid, Ludlow (capt), Ackermann.

Replacements: Singleton, Elrington, Ford-Robinson, Craig, Morgan, Meehan, Twelvetrees, Seabrook.

The Cherry & Whites also select a strong starting XV, including two British & Irish Lions in Louis Rees-Zammit and Chris Harris.

SAINTS: Furbank, Freeman, Proctor, Hutchinson, Collins, Biggar, Mitchell; Waller, S Matavesi, Hill, Ribbans, Ratuniyarawa, Lawes, Ludlam (c), Augustus.

Replacements: Haywood, Hobbs-Awoyemi, Carey, Coles, Harrison, James, Francis, Nansen.

That's just one change to the side that beat Bristol Bears last time out, with Matt Proctor coming into the centres to replace Fraser Dingwall.

We're on deck at a balmy Kingsholm where Northampton Saints take on Gloucester Rugby in the European Challenge Cup Round of 16! Just 20 minutes away from kick-off, here's how Saints line-up this evening...