Premiership: Depleted Saints

 

With Saints' international roll call into double figures, the club's youngsters – on show over the last fortnight in the Anglo-Welsh Cup – will step into the fold.

 

But Mumm knows full well the stiff task of travelling to Northampton. Exeter have won just one of their last eight Premiership matches against Jim Mallinder's side, failing to come away from Franklin's Gardens with a win in each of their last five visits.

 

Four wins in their last five outings in all tournaments is a welcome shot in the arm for Rob Baxter's side but skipper Mumm, primed to make his first Premiership appearance of the season after shoulder surgery, is staying grounded.

 

"It's a good one to come back into," he said.

 

"It's a massive game against Northampton and a huge challenge for us.

 

"They have been fairly impressive across all competitions this year. They will be missing a couple of people, but the depth of their squad means that there is no easy game against them, particularly at Franklin's Gardens and on a Friday night as well. 

 

"So it's a tough game for us, but one I'm looking forward to.

 

"We were poor when we went there last year. We were poor in the first half, I certainly remember that, but it's irrelevant now.

 

"They're a team that likes to squeeze you, to put the emphasis on you, so the emphasis for us is to be able to withstand that pressure, but also be able to convert that and maintain momentum ourselves."

 

Northampton have sat at the top of the Premiership Rugby tree during a month-long break for European and Anglo-Welsh Cup action and victory on Friday night will ensure that remains the case for at least another week.

 

 

 

 

 

Gloucester: 15 Rob Cook, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Billy Meakes, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Henry Purdy, 10 Billy Twelvetrees (captain), 9 Dan Robson, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Tom Savage, 5 James Hudson, 4 Tom Palmer, 3 John Afoa, 2 Darren Dawidiuk, 1 Nick Wood.

Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 James Gibbons, 18 Yann Thomas, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Dan Thomas.

 

Harlequins: 15 Ross Chisholm, 14 Charlie Walker, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 George Lowe, 11 Ollie Lindsay-Hague, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Karl Dickson, 8 Nick Easter (captain), 7 Luke Wallace, 6 Joe Trayfoot, 5 George Robson, 4 Charlie Matthews, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Dave Ward, 1 Mark Lambert.

Replacements: 16 Rob Buchanan 17 Darryl Marfo, 18 Will Collier, 19 Sam Twomey, 20 Jack Clifford, 21 Jordan Burns, 22 Tim Swiel, 23 Tom Casson.

 

Referee: Andrew Small 

Assistant Referees: Paul Burton, Paul Dix

TMO: Keith Lewis

 

 

 

Northampton: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Jamie Elliott, 13 Tom Stephenson, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Tom Collins, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Phil Dowson (captain), 7 Ben Nutley, 6 Calum Clark, 5 Christian Day, 4 Samu Manoa, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Mike Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.

Replacements: 16 Ross McMillan, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 Alex Woolford, 20 Teimana Harrison, 21 Joel Hodgson, 22 James Wilson, 23 Dom Waldouck.

 

Exeter: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Matt Jess, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Will Chudley, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Don Armand, 6 Ben White, 5 Damian Welch, 4 Dean Mumm (captian), 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Jack Yeandle, 1 Carl Rimmer.

Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie 17 Ben Moon 18 Moray Low 19 Ryan Caldwell 20 Kai Horstmann 21 Haydn Thomas 22 Ian Whitten, 23 Byron McGuigan

 

Referee: Dean Richards.

Assistant Referees: Ross Campbell, Gordon Goodliffe

TMO: Rowan Kitt

 

 

 

 

Sale Sharks: TBC

 

London Irish: TBC

 

Referee: Matthew Carley

Assistant referees: Gareth Copsey, Ashley Rowden

TMO: Trevor Fisher

 

 

 

Bath: TBC

 

Newcastle Falcons: TBC

 

Referee: Ian Tempest

Assistant referees: Andrew Pearce, Simon Mcconnell

TMO: Geoffrey Warren

 

 

 

 

Leicester Tigers: TBC

 

Saracens: TBC

 

Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Assistant referees: Nigel Carrick, Peter Huckle

TMO: Sean Davey

 

 

 

Wasps: TBC

 

London Welsh: TBC

 

Referee: Thomas Foley

Assistant referees: Roy Maybank, Paul Dix

TMO: David Sainsbury