Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers: Tom Vickers' big match preview

Competition: Gallagher Premiership

Venue: cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens, Northampton

Date and kick-off time: Saturday, September 24, 2022, 3pm

Weather forecast: 16c, cloudy

Live television coverage: BT Sport

Referee: Karl Dickson

Saints: Furbank; Freeman, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Proctor; Biggar, Mitchell; Iyogun, Matavesi, Petch; Salakaia-Loto, Coles; Lawes, Ludlam (c), Augustus.

Replacements: Haywood, E Waller, Hill, Moon, Scott-Young, James, Grayson, Collins.

Leicester Tigers: Steward; Potter, Porter, Gopperth, Nadolo; Burns, van Poortvliet; Cronin, Clare, Cole; Chessum, Green; Martin, Reffell, Liebenberg (c).

Replacements: Taufete'e, van Wyk, Heyes, Wells, Cracknell, B Youngs, Cokanasiga, Ashton.

Not considered for Saints selection: Matthew Arden, Callum Burns, James Fish, Joseph Gaffan, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, Alex Waller, Karl Wilkins

Most recent meeting: Saturday, June 11, 2022: Leicester Tigers 27 Saints 14 (Gallagher Premiership play-off semi-final)

Tom's preview: As Saints supporters head to the Gardens for the latest instalment of the East Midlands Derby on Saturday afternoon, there will obviously be huge excitement.

But, after recent events at Worcester Warriors and Wasps, there is also likely to be a large dose of gratitiude.

Gratitude that Saints are not in a similar situation to those who are really up against it financially.

Gratitude that the people in charge of their club have made the decisions they have, especially during the pandemic.

Gratitude to everyone who agreed to take pay cuts when the times were at their toughest.

And gratitude that they can approach a game against Tigers with optimism rather than trepidation, on and off the pitch.

That is not to say there are not big financial challenges for Saints. There are.

They, like any business, still need the cash to flow and the bills to be paid.

But the way Mark Darbon and Co have run the club in recent years is of huge credit to them.

As head coach Sam Vesty said earlier this week: "I'm very thankful that our board talk to us around where we're at, and I think we're run in a very prudent way and manner.

"It makes you very thankful that we're in a good place, but our thoughts are with those players and staff who will hopefully get some more certainty soon."

Credit also goes to the supporters who have backed Saints all the way, with the relationship between fans and club only strengthening in recent years.

It was something Leon Barwell was so keen to deliver during his time as chairman, bringing back that bond between the club and those who support it every step of the way.

He would have been proud to see Saints' away shirt for last season bearing the names of all the fans who donated money they were owed to the club during the pandemic.

It was a gesture that went a long way, showing how the fans are literally etched into the fabric of the club.

It shows the club's gratitude, and in turn brings gratitude from the fans.

While Saints want to find new ways of making money to keep them not only afloat but successful on the field, they also want to keep that community feel.

And their communication continues to be good, as shown recently with the release of a few behind-the-scenes videos, giving those outside of the Gardens a taste of life at Saints.

It is what rugby needs: to use every opportunity to show what a great product it has.

Saints didn't charge for those videos, but maybe one day they will be able to, with a documentary, that has yet to come to fruition, mooted previously.

The scenes of raw emotion on derby day back in June, when Saints gave everything in defeat at eventual champions Tigers, were a joy to behold.

Similar scenes will be repeated today.

And even if the outcome is also similar - Saints will be desperate to ensure it isn't - that gratitude that the game took place, without uncertainty, will surely be palpable.

Tom's prediction: Saints really need to get back on track when it comes to beating Leicester, something they made a habit of not so long ago, and I'm tipping them to secure some revenge for that semi-final heartache here. Saints 27 Leicester 23.