Saints to face Leinster and Edinburgh during pre-season

EASY WIN - Dom Waldouck scored his first Saints try as they beat Leinster during pre-season last August (picture by Dave Ikin)

It has been announced the squad will travel to Dublin to conclude their pre-season campaign on Friday, August 30.

And that game is followed by a clash with Edinburgh at Franklin’s Gardens seven days earlier.

Saints are also set to travel to Championship sides Bedford (Friday, August 16) and Moseley (Thursday, August 22) as they look to get match fit for the 2013/14 campaign.

Jim Mallinder’s men faced Leinster and Edinburgh last year, with the venues reversed this time round.

They thrashed the Irish side 43-0 at Franklin’s Gardens last August, scoring seven tries in the process.

Edinburgh, too, were thrashed by the eventual Premiership finalists, with the Scots on the end of an eight-try 54-3 mauling at Murrayfield.

Saints will hope for more of a test from both teams this time round and director of Mallinder is confident his men will get exactly what they need from two of last season’s Heineken Cup participants and the Championship sides.

“We always want to make sure we are in the best possible shape for the start of the season, and these matches will help us do that,” said Mallinder.

“Leinster and Edinburgh have some of the best players in Ireland and Scotland in their squads, while Bedford have been at the top of the Championship for a number of years.

“Moseley will be a good challenge for us, too.”