Gloucester v Northampton Saints: Big match preview for Saturday's game

Competition: Gallagher Premiership

Venue: Kingsholm, Gloucester

Date and kick-off time: Saturday, December 23, 2023, 3pm

Weather forecast: 11c, cloudy

Live television coverage: PRTV Live

Referee: Hamish Smales

Assistant referees: Harry Walbaum and Neil Chivers

No.4: Andy Wigley

TMO: Dean Richards

Gloucester: Carreras; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Llewellyn, Thorley; Hastings, Varney; Elrington, Socino, Balmain; Clarke, Alemanno; Ackermann, Ludlow (c), Mercer.

Replacements: McGuigan, Ford-Robinson, Gotovtsev, Jordan, Clement, Chapman, S Atkinson, Evans.

Saints: Furbank (c); Litchfield, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Freeman; F Smith, Mitchell; E Waller, Langdon, Hill; Mayanavanua, Coles; Lawes, Pearson, Graham.

Replacements: S Matavesi, Haffar, Millar Mills, Munga, Augustus, Braley, Savala, Garside.

Not available for Saints selection: George Hendy, Tom James, Lewis Ludlam, Joel Matavesi, James Ramm, Tom Seabrook, Ollie Sleightholme, Robbie Smith, Alex Waller.

Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington: “Saints have had a great start to the season, they’re the best attacking team in the league and they’ve had some good results coming into this, so we know it’s going to be a really tough game here. Kingsholm is always awesome, and the noise is second to none. It will be great to see everyone down here supporting the boys again this weekend for one last time this year.”

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson: “They've got a very talented squad and there's a massive desire to get their season back on track. George Skivington is a shrewd, experienced operator who I've got a lot of time and respect for. They're going to come out all guns blazing with a very talented group. They've got Lewis Ludlow, (Zach) Mercer, (Santiago) Carreras, they've got (Ollie) Thorley, (Louis) Rees-Zammit. They're a proud group who want to kick-start their season a little bit having been disappointed with some of their results. Kingsholm is a tough place to play. It will be sold-out, it will be full-on and we're excited to have that opportunity to go and test ourselves. We tested ourselves up at Glasgow in the wet, against Toulon and their world class players and this one is another big one where we have to make sure we're on our mettle.”

Opposition dangerman: Gloucester have so many threats, including the likes of Santiago Carreras and Louis Rees-Zammit, but there is no doubt that Zach Mercer’s recent return from injury is a huge boost for the Cherry and Whites. Mercer has a history of having a big say against Saints, and he will look to produce another huge performance here.

Tom Vickers’ prediction: Saints would have preferred to play Gloucester a few weeks ago considering the Cherry and Whites had some key men missing at that stage. They now have close to a fully fit squad and will be fired up, not only because it’s their festive fixture but also because they know they are out to show they are better than the fact they have won just twice in the league so far this season. Saints have momentum but they have suffered more injury issues. This feels like it may be a tricky one. Gloucester 29 Saints 20.