Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints: Tom Vickers' big match preview

Competition: Gallagher Premiership

Venue: Kingston Park, Newcastle

Date and kick-off time: Friday, April 21, 2023, 7.45pm

Weather forecast: 9c, partly cloudy

Live television coverage: BT Sport

Referee: Wayne Barnes

Newcastle Falcons: Obatoyinbo; Radwan, Moroni, Orlando, Carreras; Connon, Young (c); Mulipola, Blamire, Tampin; Peterson, de Chaves; Rubiolo, Lockwood, Chick.

Replacements: Cade, Brocklebank, Kenny, van der Walt, Fearns, Stuart, Penny, Tait.

Saints: Furbank; Collins, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Freeman; F Smith, Mitchell; A Waller, Matavesi, Hill; Ribbans, Moon; Lawes, Ludlam (c), Augustus.

Replacements: Cruse, E Waller, Petch, Salakaia-Loto, Scott-Young, Graham, James, Litchfield.

Not considered for Saints selection: Emmanuel Iyogun, Matt Proctor, James Ramm, Ollie Sleightholme, Robbie Smith.

Most recent meeting: Saturday, November 19, 2022: Newcastle Falcons 28 Saints 31 (Premiership Rugby Cup)

Tom's preview: One glance at the league table would seem to suggest Saints couldn’t ask for a better fixture to finish the regular season with.

But when you dive a little deeper, you realise that Friday’s trip to Kingston Park will be anything but comfortable.

Newcastle Falcons may be bottom of the Gallagher Premiership standings but their home form has been superb.

Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Sale Sharks, Leicester Tigers and Gloucester have all headed home with a defeat to their name after travelling north.

The Falcons somehow managed to beat Gloucester despite playing for more than an hour with just 14 men.

And they are certainly a formidable side on home soil.

Saints are well aware of that and they know that if they are to stand any chance of finishing in the top four this season, they must be at their very best.

“I don’t think you take anyone lightly in this league,” said centre Rory Hutchinson.

"Going up to Newcastle will be a tough job, but it's one we’re prepared for.

"We’ve got to get the maximum amount of points from it because we’re not in control so we need to get the best result for us and focus on ourselves.”

Saints moved above London Irish into fourth thanks to a bonus-point 38-29 win against Saracens last Saturday.

And Phil Dowson’s men will conclude their regular season campaign on Friday, before Irish even begin their final two matches, which come against Saracens and Exeter.

"We’re going to go to Newcastle and do a job,” Hutchinson said.

"We want to come away with a win and five points because that’s what we pride ourselves on doing."

While Newcastle have been superb at home, Saints have been far from that away.

They have won just two league games on the road during this campaign, beating Wasps and Leicester.

And when asked why Saints have endured such travel sickness, Hutchinson said: “If I had the answers I’d let you know.

"We’re disappointed with that kind of stat and it’s not something we’re proud of.

"It’s something we need to look at and be better at because fundamentally we’d put ourselves in a much better position if we were better away.”

Saints have been propped up by their home form, having lost just one league game, against Leicester back in September, at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens all season.

They managed to grab another Gardens success last Saturday, seeing off Saracens in front of a sell-out crowd.

But there was plenty of room for improvement, especially after a nervy second half against a side who had gone down to 14 men early in the game following Duncan Taylor’s red card.

"We’re happy with the five points and it was really important but we’ve got some work to do," Hutchinson said.

Saints certainly have.

And their fans will hope that they have been able to do it this week, to steel themselves for what lies in wait at Kingston Park.

Because anything other than a showing full of substance will not be good enough for a win, and certainly not be good enough for a top-four spot.

Tom’s prediction: This is such a tough game for Saints, as every encounter on the road is, and Newcastle will fancy their chances of finishing their home campaign on a high. If Saints can’t starve the home backs of the ball then they won’t be getting the win they want. But let’s try to keep the faith one last time in the regular season. Newcastle 28 Saints 32.