Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints: Big match preview

Venue: Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Leicester

Date and kick-off time: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 3.05pm

Weather forecast: 11c, rain

Live television coverage: TNT Sports

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Assistant referees: Joe James and John Meredith

No.4: Ben Wood

TMO: David Rose

Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward; 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Will Wand, 12 Solomone Kata, 11 Gabriel Hamer-Webb; 10 Billy Searle, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Archie van der Flier, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Joe Heyes; 4 Cameron Henderson, 5 Ollie Chessum (c); 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Finn Carnduff, 8 Olly Cracknell.

Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Will Hurd, 19 James Thompson, 20 Joaquin Moro, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 George Pearson.

Saints: 15 James Pater; 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Fraser Dingwall (c), 11 George Hendy; 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Cleopas Kundiona; 4 Alex Coles, 5 Ed Prowse; 6 Josh Kemeny, 7 Tom Pearson, 8 Henry Pollock.

Replacements: 16 Robbie Smith, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Ion Neculai, 19 JJ van der Mescht, 20 Tom Lockett, 21 Callum Chick, 22 Archie McParland, 23 Ollie Sleightholme.

Not available for Saints selection: Ben Alexander, Trevor Davison, Malik Faissal, Luke Green, Tom Litchfield, Aidan Pugh, Edoardo Todaro, Lefty Zigiriadis.

Most recent meeting: Friday, June 12, 2026: Saints 45 Leicester Tigers 31 (Gallagher PREM play-off semi-final)

Leicester Tigers head coach Geoff Parling: "It means a lot to everyone, we know it will be a great atmosphere at Mattioli Woods Welford Road. I don't think with this sort of game either team has to build it up too much emotionally because that just comes, so I think it's actually about being really really calm in the moment. You don't have to hype up these sort of games, you know it's going to be a great occasion. Hopefully we can put the best of ourselves out there and I'm sure Saints will be able to do exactly the same. In terms of preparing for this fixture in particular, we prep exactly the same. If I feel that the group needs something else day to day or in a training session we might adapt things then, but in general we just prep as we do for most of the games. We know we've got one of the best sides coming who scored 71 points (against Bath in round three) so our defence is going to be tested this weekend and we've got to be on our game to try to keep them out. I don't think we're going to try to play the way they play and they're not going to try to play the way we play. It's about doing what we do well and trying to shut up what they do well. We've got our tactics, we know our game plan, we won't try to match what they do. We focus on them a little bit, but most of our preview is on what we're going to do and how we're going to put our stamp on the game."

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson: “They've got some new coaches from a defence and attack point of view. (Tigers boss) Geoff Parling is still evolving that into his team and they've obviously got some new players come into that group as well. The traditional values of a Leicester Tigers side with huge power up front (are still there), but there's a lot more appetite to play the game and to move the ball and they've got the players to take advantage of that. The wingers are outstanding, Freddie Steward is an international, Billy Searle and JVP (Jack van Poortvliet) are outstanding half-backs. We also appreciate what they've got in the centre with (Will) Wand and (Solomone) Kata as well so the backline doesn't get as many plaudits as maybe it should do, and they're playing the game in a slightly different way.”

Opposition danger man: Fly-half Billy Searle’s kicking game is so key for Tigers, and it will be even more crucial in the conditions that are expected on Saturday afternoon.

Tom Vickers’ pre-match thoughts: It’s fair to say that if Leicester could have ordered weather for this fixture, they would probably have opted for what they are about to get on Saturday afternoon. It could be more of a swimming gala than a rugby match at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, with heavy rain and wind forecast. Needless to say, that won’t suit Saints’ slick attacking game, so they will have to show a different side, as they did when overcoming Cardiff Rugby last Sunday. But Cardiff certainly had their moments in that match and there is no doubt Leicester will provide an even sterner test on their own turf this weekend. Saints will have to somehow keep mistakes to a minimum with the slippery ball while also bringing huge physicality. They were able to do that in torrid conditions in a memorable win at Munster a couple of years ago, and a similar performance to that would be a sizeable statement if they are able to produce it against a hugely physical Tigers team who have the ability to keep their game plan simple to combat the weather.