Saints winger Elliott hoping to regain try-scoring spark against Irish

The wing has not scored a try since the victory against Bath in Northampton on December 28.

But this Sunday he should be buoyed by the sight of an Irish side who he scored a hat-trick against at the Gardens last March.

And Elliott is eager to strike again against Brian Smith’s men as Saints bid to end a run of three successive league defeats.

“It was great to get my first hat-trick in front of the home crowd here,” said the 21-year-old, when asked about his superb treble against Irish last season. “Those memories are good to draw on and you want to get them back.

“I’m trying to cement my spot in the team at the moment and trying to get back into form. You definitely go looking for tries and want to get on the end of something.

“But it’s mainly about getting the win and getting the team back to where we should be.

“We need to get that home semi-final and go from there.”

Elliott starts on the wing at the Gardens tomorrow, with Saints making three changes to the team that lost at Saracens last weekend.

Into the starting XV come scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i and forwards Phil Dowson and Sam Dickinson.

Saints team to play London Irish, Aviva Premiership, Franklin’s Gardens, Sunday, April 20, KO 2pm: Ben Foden; Jamie Elliott, George Pisi, Luther Burrell, George North; Stephen Myler, Kahn Fotuali’i; Alex Waller, Ross McMillan, Salesi Ma’afu, Samu Manoa, Courtney Lawes, Phil Dowson, Tom Wood, Sam Dickinson.

Replacements: Matt Williams, Ethan Waller, Gareth Denman, Calum Clark, GJ van Velze, Lee Dickson, Will Hooley, James Wilson