Gloucester v Northampton Saints: Full team news

The black, green and gold have made 14 changes to the team that started in the Investec Champions Cup final last Saturday, with only Rory Hutchinson keeping his place. Though Hutchinson does actually switch positions as he moves from centre to fly-half for this match.

Henry Lumley, who is part of the Senior Academy intake ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, comes in at centre as he makes his Saints debut, while there is a first Premiership start for Archie Benson in the back row.

There could also be a Premiership debut from the bench for talented young full-back James Pater, who, like Lumley, was a key member of the Under-18s side that claimed Academy League glory back in February.

Tom Pearson is ready to make his return from the injury he sustained against Newcastle Falcons last month as he starts at seven against Gloucester.

Ollie Sleightholme adds some England experience to this weekend's team as he starts on the wing, having returned from injury from the bench last Saturday.

Tom Litchfield starts after he, like Sleightholme, had to come on inside the opening five minutes of the showpiece in Cardiff.

There will be plenty of farewell appearances this weekend, with Jake Garside, Toby Cousins, Tarek Haffar, Nathan Langdon, Callum Hunter-Hill and Ewan Baker all in the matchday 23.

The unavailable list contains the names of 14 players. Juarno Augustus, George Furbank, Sam Graham, George Hendy, George Makepeace-Cubitt, Temo Mayanavanua, Archie McParland, Burger Odendaal, James Ramm, Charlie Savala, Robbie Smith, Toby Thame, Tom West and Craig Wright are all sidelined.

As for Gloucester, they have named their strongest possible side as they need to win and hope Bristol Bears or Sale Sharks slip up in pursuit of the final Premiership play-off place.

Gloucester: 15. Santi Carreras; 14. Christian Wade, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Seb Atkinson, 11. Jack Cotgreave; 10. Gareth Anscombe, 9. Tomos Williams; 1. Ciaran Knight, 2. Jack Singleton, 3. Afo Fasogbon; 4. Freddie Clarke, 5. Arthur Clark; 6. Jack Clement, 7. Lewis Ludlow (c), 8. Ruan Ackermann.

Replacements: 16. Seb Blake, 17. Jamal Ford-Robinson, 18. Kirill Gotovtsev, 19. Cam Jordan, 20. Freddie Thomas, 21. Caolan Englefield, 22. Will Butler, 23. George Barton.

Saints: 15. Jake Garside; 14. Toby Cousins, 13. Henry Lumley, 12. Tom Litchfield, 11. Ollie Sleightholme; 10. Rory Hutchinson, 9. Jonny Weimann; 1. Tarek Haffar, 2. Henry Walker, 3. Luke Green; 4. Ed Prowse (c), 5. Chunya Munga; 6. Archie Benson, 7. Tom Pearson, 8. Fyn Brown.

Replacements: 16. Nathan Langdon, 17. Emmanuel Iyogun, 18. Elliot Millar Mills, 19. Callum Hunter-Hill, 20. Tom Lockett, 21. Iakopo Mapu, 22. James Pater, 23. Ewan Baker.