Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints: Tom Vickers' big match preview

Competition: Champions Cup (quarter-final)

Venue: Sandy Park, Exeter

Date and kick-off time: Sunday, September 20, 2020, 5.30pm

Weather: 21c, partly cloudy

Live television coverage: BT Sport 3

Referee: Matthew Carley

Exeter Chiefs: Hogg; Nowell, Slade, Whitten, O'Flaherty; J Simmonds (c), Maunder; Hepburn, Cowan-Dickie, Williams; Gray, Hill; Ewers, Vermeulen, S Simmonds.

Replacements: Yeandle, Moon, Francis, S Skinner, Kirsten, Hidalgo-Clyne, Steenson, Devoto.

Saints: Furbank; Proctor, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Tuala; Biggar, Taylor; Iyogun, Haywood, Franks; Ribbans, Ratuniyarawa; Lawes, Ludlam, Harrison (c).

Replacements: Fish, Seville, Hill, Moon, Isiekwe, Adendorff, Mitchell, Naiyaravoro.

Outs: Saints: Francois van Wyk (knee), Nick Auterac (hip flexor), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (achilles), Alex Coles (ankle), Tom Collins (foot), Harry Mallinder (knee), Ollie Sleightholme (hamstring), Piers Francis (shin), Connor Tupai (wrist), Alex Waller (achilles), Tom Wood (pulmonary embolism)

Most recent meeting: Friday, September 4, 2020: Saints 19 Exeter Chiefs 22 (Gallagher Premiership)

Tom's preview: If you thought Saints' last win feels a long time ago, how about their last win at Sandy Park?

It is now more than six years the men from Northampton rocked up at Sandy Park and got the job done.

On that day, February 8, 2014, a Saints side chasing Premiership glory grabbed a dramatic last-gasp win as George Pisi scored and Stephen Myler converted to secure a 17-16 success.

It moved the black, green and gold to the top of the table as Exeter sat in the lower reaches of England's top tier.

But a month and eight days later, the Chiefs grabbed the glory in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, beating Saints and starting a barren run for those of a Northampton persuasion at Sandy Park.

Exeter have now won nine successive home games against Saints, who almost broke their sorry streak in February 2018 before falling just short in a 31-30 defeat.

The margin of victory has often been much larger, and the Chiefs have recent history of landing a knockout blow against Saints, securing a Premiership play-off semi-final win against them at Sandy Park just last season.

And all the signs are that a similar outcome lies in wait this weekend.

Saints have lost 10 of their past 12 matches, while Exeter have been close to unstoppable at home and abroad this season.

They have a formidable forward game and backs who ruthlessly use the advantage that their big men give them.

It is a frightening prospect, but while a semi-final place is up for grabs, Saints can go out and play without pressure.

As Lewis Ludlam pointed out this week, no one except those inside the corridors of Franklin's Gardens expects too much on Sunday.

Saints, as they have been in Europe several times before, are being written off.

They're not even being given the plucky underdogs tag.

But this club has history of springing surprises.

At Biarritz, at Ulster, at Leinster - the list goes on.

Those were incredible wins in incredible circumstances.

And how Saints would love to emulate those teams who have gone before them this weekend.

The chances, you have to say, are super slim.

But all you can do is hope.

To believe that this storied club can write another stunning chapter.

It looks like it would be the most unlikely of all when you consider what has gone before.

And then there's the fact Saints have no fit senior loosehead props to call upon, having to utilise a raw Academy product and a young Gloucester loanee.

The story is being written, now Saints need to find a way to give it a happy ending.

Tom's prediction: It would be great to think this could be another of those special European occasions for Saints, but the form just hasn't been there and Exeter just don't lose to Northampton at Sandy Park these days. Exeter 33 Saints 17.