Wasps v Northampton Saints: Tom Vickers' big match preview

Competition: Gallagher Premiership

Date and kick-off time: Sunday, September 9, 2022, 3pm

Venue: Coventry Building Society Arena

Weather forecast: 16c, cloudy

Live television coverage: BT Sport 1

Referee: Adam Leal

Wasps: Umaga; Odogwu, Odendaal, Mills, Bassett; Atkinson, Robson; Hislop, Oghre, Koch; Launchbury (c), McDonald; Carr, J Willis, T Willis.

Replacements: Frost, Martinez, Ryan, Cardall, Morris, Porter, Haydon-Wood, Feyi-Waboso.

Saints: Furbank; Freeman, Proctor, Dingwall, Sleightholme; Biggar, Mitchell; A Waller, S Matavesi, Hill; Salakaia-Loto, Moon; Coles, Ludlam (c), Graham.

Replacements: Smith, E Waller, Petch, Ribbans, Augustus, James, Hutchinson, Skosan.

Not considered for Saints selection: Matthew Arden, Callum Burns, James Fish, Joseph Gaffan, Mike Haywood, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, Courtney Lawes, Karl Wilkins.

Most recent meeting: Sunday, March 13, 2022: Saints 27 Wasps 22 (Gallagher Premiership)

Tom's preview: When Saints last faced Wasps, they were in desperate need of a win.

And as it turned out, the victory they earned at the Gardens on March 13 proved to be the catalyst for a late-season play-off push, which ultimately ended in the semi-final at Leicester.

The two teams meet earlier in the season on Sunday, but the need for Saints to kick-start their campaign remains.

They have won just one of their four league matches so far, despite showing such promise in patches.

But patchy has been the word as Phil Dowson's side have not been good enough for long enough in games.

Costly short spells have had a huge impact on their fortunes as they were in with a real chance of winning against Sale, Leicester and Harlequins before the results slipped away.

Saints haven't been able to do the damage they would want in both red zones, shipping sucker punch scores while seeing their attacking game fail to get them out of jail.

And it means they will be sent to Coventry on Sunday with just eight points from a possible 20 on offer.

However, that is actually double the amount they picked up from the same fixtures last season.

And they only managed to secure a single point from their trip to Wasps last October, so whatever happens this weekend, the 2022/23 Saints will be in profit.

However, they are well aware that wins are needed.

They can't rely on getting the amount of bonus-point victories they did last season against the sides they face during the rest of October.

They need to win at Wasps and show that they mean business.

But that is easier said than done.

Because, just like every side in the Gallagher Premiership, Lee Blackett's side possesses a huge amount of danger.

Wasps are able to call on the likes of Vincent Koch, Joe Launchbury and Jack Willis up front.

And in the backs, there is traditional Saints nemesis Josh Bassett, along with the likes of Paolo Odogwu and new man Burger Odendaal.

If you are looking for life to get easier in the Premiership, it rarely does.

And Saints know they must do it the hard way if they want to get their league season up and running on Sunday.

Tom's prediction: This is a really tough game to call because both teams are typically unpredictable. So let's keep the faith with Saints and tip them to edge it. Wasps 31 Saints 35.