Phil Dowson has made ten changes to his Northampton Saints side for the final clash of 2025, as the men in Black, Green and Gold travel to Bath Rugby on Saturday (27 December, kick-off: 5.30pm).
Saints sit third in the Gallagher PREM table after Christmas but are looking to rise the ranks as 2025 comes to a close, with a win at the Recreation Ground sure to propel them into the league’s top two.
The Rec is a place Saints have left without victory in their last three visits, most recently enjoying success in Bath in April 2022 when they wrestled back a 31-12 deficit before an over-time try from Mikey Haywood sealed a dramatic first win there in seven years.
But since then, it has been the home side on the day who have taken home the spoils when Saints and Bath have locked horns, and Northampton will be hoping to buck that trend when the PREM’s two most recent champions meet in Round 8.
Callum Chick leads the men in Black, Green and Gold at the Rec as he returns to the starting line-up on Saturday, joining Sam Graham on Northampton’s flanks while in-form Henry Pollock continues at No. 8 against Bath.
Emmanuel Iyogun and Trevor Davison remain at loosehead and tighthead prop respectively for Saints this week, with Robbie Smith shifting into the starting line-up to begin alongside them at hooker.
Ed Prowse makes his sixth start of the season in Saints’ second row, with Chunya Munga also moving into the starting XV alongside the 25-year-old lock to form Northampton’s engine room against Bath.
Dowson names a fresh-look half-back pairing of scrum-half Archie McParland and fly-half Anthony Belleau, as the pair start together for the first time since Northampton defeated Gloucester on the road back in October.
Outside them, Scotland centre Rory Hutchinson returns to Saints’ side to partner British & Irish Lion Tommy Freeman in the midfield at the Rec.
And Dowson rounds off his starting XV with a back three that sees George Hendy shift from wing to fullback for this clash, while Italy’s Edoardo Todaro continues on Saints’ right wing as returning James Ramm starts on the left.
Dowson opts for the classic five-three bench in Bath, with the likes of Scotland international Elliot Millar Mills and England winger Ollie Sleightholme set to enter the action – while hooker Oliver Scola is primed for a league debut from amongst the replacements.
BATH RUGBY vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Gallagher PREM, Round 8
Saturday 27 December, 2025
Recreation Ground
Kick-off: 5.30pm
15 George Hendy
14 Edoardo Todaro
13 Tommy Freeman
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 James Ramm
10 Anthony Belleau
9 Archie McParland
1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Robbie Smith
3 Trevor Davison
4 Ed Prowse
5 Chunya Munga
6 Callum Chick (c)
7 Sam Graham
8 Henry Pollock
Replacements:
16 Henry Walker
17 Oliver Scola – Gallagher PREM debut
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Archie Benson
20 Fyn Brown
21 Tom James
22 Henry Lumley
23 Ollie Sleightholme
Not considered for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Will Glister, Curtis Langdon, Tom Litchfield, Tom Lockett, Charlie Ulcoq, and Tom West.
BATH SIDE TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence,12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer; 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Josh Bayliss, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Miles Reid.
Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Santi Carreras, 23 Chris Harris.
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant Referees: Hamish Smales and Jonathan Healy
No. 4: Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Dan Jones