Harlequins v Northampton Saints: Big match preview

Competition: Gallagher Premiership

Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London

Date and kick-off time: Saturday, April 27, 2024, 3.05pm

Weather forecast: 12c, showers

Live television coverage: TNT Sports

Referee: Karl Dickson

Assistant referees: Joe James and Jonathan Healy

No.4: Jonathan Cook

TMO: Andrew Jackson

Harlequins: Green; Lynagh, Northmore, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Baxter, Walker, Collier; Herbst, Lewies (c); Cunningham-South, W Evans Dombrandt.

Replacements: Riley, Marler, Kerrod, Hammond, Lawday, Porter, J Evans, Beard.

Saints: Furbank; Ramm, Freeman, Litchfield, Sleightholme; F Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, S Matavesi, Davison; Mayanavanua, Lockett; Lawes, Ludlam (c), Graham.

Replacements: R Smith, Haffar, Millar Mills, Munga, Scott-Young, Augustus, James, Dingwall.

Not considered for Saints selection: Callum Braley, George Hendy, Paul Hill, Rory Hutchinson, Burger Odendaal, Tom Pearson

Most recent meeting: Friday, November 24, 2023: Saints 36 Harlequins 33 (Gallagher Premiership)

Harlequins Danny Wilson head coach: “I don’t think this will be a 12-9 game. I think there’s all the chances that this is two sides that are going to go about their rugby as they have done all season. Two sides that have an identity in terms of an attacking presence, two sides who are going to want to try and slow down and defend the other side to prevent that. You’re going to see an exciting game of rugby, one that people will want to come and watch. Another stressful affair. We’ve got to work hard to put our best version of us out on the field to hopefully get the result. They’ve clearly worked hard and improved defensively; but they also have so much threat on the ball in attack. There’s threats right across the field and there’s threats from deep. They have very dangerous individual players. Collectively that means we’ve got to be right on top of them with and without the ball to be able to break them down. There’s a reason why they’re doing so well at the moment.”

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson: “They're a very good side, putting on a show and that's what they like to do. They've got so many quality players to do it. We're going to have to be right at our best but we're excited about it. I certainly don't think we overly focus on them. We trust the systems we've put in place and practiced. We've created habits and muscle memory and all those sorts of bits of blah so we focus more or less on ourselves, knowing their eight, nine, 10 are world class, that (Andre) Esterhuizen is an unbelievable ball carrier, that they've got one of the most dominant scrums in the league. You see (Cadan) Murley's break at the weekend in the last five minutes of the Sale game and the speed they've got with him and (Tyrone) Green. It (their list of threats) is never-ending.”

Opposition dangerman: Flanker Will Evans is an absolute menace at the breakdown and he will be targeting Saints at every turn.

Tom Vickers’ prediction: Saints have been given a tough time by Quins at Twickenham over the years, and this will be no different. Phil Dowson’s men will be desperate to display their ability on the big stage, but Quins have to win this and have named a team that shows it. Home advantage could just prove key for them in what promises to be an entertaining encounter. Harlequins 35 Saints 32.