Phil Dowson has made nine changes to his Northampton Saints side ahead of their PREM Rugby Cup clash against Leicester Tigers on Friday night (21 November, kick-off: 7.30pm).
Saints ran out victorious when the sides met in the Gallagher PREM earlier this term – taking home a 32-26 win at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens – and will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season last time out as they bring this second block of Cup matches to an end at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
George Furbank resumes his captaincy of Saints’ side against Tigers, leading the team from fly-half in Round 5 after a successful first outing of the season against Newcastle Red Bulls a week ago.
Furbank is joined in Northampton’s half-back berths by scrum-half Archie McParland – who is one of three Saints to return from England A duty for this week’s clash, with George Hendy and Craig Wright also back in Black, Green and Gold after England A’s victory over Spain last weekend.
Tom Litchfield comes into the starting line-up against Leicester to join Toby Thame in the centres for Northampton, with Ollie Sleightholme and James Pater manning Saints’ wings to complete the back three alongside returning fullback Hendy.
Hooker Wright returns to start in the front row for Saints as props Tom West and Luke Green joining him there, while JJ Van Der Mescht makes his first appearance in Black, Green and Gold in almost a month as he joins Chunya Munga in the second row.
Josh Kemeny also features for the first time in November as he comes into Saints’ back row at blindside flanker, with openside flanker Fyn Brown and No. 8 Sam Graham also featuring against Tigers.
And there are more returnees amongst Saints’ replacements, with Cleopas Kundiona recovering from his injury to feature there alongside returning Robbie Smith and Callum Chick – while young backs Jonny Weimann, Henry Lumley and James Pater are also primed to enter the action in Leicester.
Saints’ clash with Leicester will be streamed live on PREM Rugby’s YouTube channel on Friday night, with supporters able to watch all the action HERE.
LEICESTER TIGERS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
PREM Rugby Cup, Round 5
Friday 21 November, 2025
Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Kick-off: 7.30pm
15 George Hendy
14 Ollie Sleightholme
13 Tom Litchfield
12 Toby Thame
11 Amena Caqusau
10 George Furbank (c)
9 Archie McParland
1 Tom West
2 Craig Wright
3 Luke Green
4 Chunya Munga
5 JJ Van Der Mescht
6 Josh Kemeny
7 Fyn Brown
8 Sam Graham
Replacements:
16 Robbie Smith
17 Oliver Scola
18 Cleopas Kundiona
19 Ed Prowse
20 Callum Chick
21 Jonny Weimann
22 Henry Lumley
23 James Pater
Not considered for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Anthony Belleau, Will Glister, Tom James, Curtis Langdon, Tom Lockett, Marco Manfredi, James Martin, James Ramm, and Charlie Ulcoq.
International duty:
Alex Coles, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell, Henry Pollock and Fin Smith (all England), Rory Hutchinson and Elliot Millar Mills (both Scotland), Danilo Fischetti and Edoardo Todaro (both Italy).
TIGERS TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Orlando Bailey, 14 Ryan Crowley, 13 Will Wand, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Sam Mercer, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Tom Whiteley; 1 Tarek Haffar, 2 Charlie Clare (c), 3 Ale Loman, 4 Cameron Henderson, 5 James Thompson, 6 Harry Palmer, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Joaquin Moro.
Replacements: 16 Finn Theobald-Thomas, 17 Archie van der Flier, 18 Tonga Kofe, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Tom Manz, 21 Joshua Manz, 22 Ollie Allan, 23 Charlie Titcombe.
Referee: Hamish Smales
Assistant referees: Holly Wood and Neil Chivers
No. 4: Kieron Henry