Northampton Saints v Munster: Big match preview for the last-16 encounter

Competition: Investec Champions Cup (round of 16)

Venue: cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton

Date and kick-off time: Sunday, April 7, 12.30pm

Weather forecast: 14c, partly cloudy

Live television coverage: TNT Sports and ITV

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

Saints: Ramm; Freeman, Dingwall, Odendaal, Sleightholme; F Smith, James; Iyogun, Langdon, Davison; Moon, Coles; Lawes, Ludlam (c), Graham.

Replacements: S Matavesi, A Waller, Hill, Mayanavanua, Scott-Young, Augustus, Mitchell, Hendy.

Munster: Haley; Zebo, Frisch, Nankivell, O’Brien; Crowley, Casey; Loughman, Scannell, Archer; Beirne (c), Ahern; O’Mahony, Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Clarke, Wycherley, Donnelly, O’Donoghue, Kendellen, Murray, Carbery, McCarthy.

Not considered for Saints selection: Callum Braley, George Furbank, Rory Hutchinson, Tom Pearson.

Most recent meeting: Saturday, January 20, 2024: Munster 23 Saints 26 (Investec Champions Cup pool stages)

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson: "We know they will have a grudge and they will be frustrated about what happened over in Thomond so they will be coming here to get stuck in and we're not unaware of that threat. It's very hard to say who wants it more but we've got to make sure we're ready for that intensity that they're undoubtedly going to bring because that's what they're famed for as a province and I think (Munster boss) Graham Rowntree will be pushing in terms of coming out of the gates and really getting stuck in so we've got to make sure we're not taken by surprise on that front."

Munster defence coach Denis Leamy: “Northampton have earned the right to be favourites, they've earned the right to be spoken about the way they play the game. You look at the English internationals they have. Look at a player like Fin Smith, he's probably going to be a Lion or certainly an English player for a number of years. (Courtney) Lawes, (Lewis) Ludlam, (Curtis) Langdon. They're really, really good players. So it's a big task and that's why people will make them favourites and say Munster have a difficult job to do. We've got to fall back on our abilities. We've had the ability to go on the road. We've won in Glasgow, Dublin, Cape Town last year. We've won in Toulon. We're good enough to go to Northampton and put in a performance. If that's good enough on the day, absolutely brilliant."

Opposition dangerman: It’s a case of take your pick as this Munster side has a huge amount of talent, but fly-half Jack Crowley was at the heart of all that was good against Cardiff last weekend and the Ireland star will look to pull the strings this weekend.

Tom Vickers’ prediction: This is a really tough one to call. Saints have been made favourites after winning in Limerick, but they will face a fired-up Munster side full of international stars. It could very much go either way. Saints 28 Munster 26.