Preview: Preview: Harlequins vs Northampton Saints - prediction, team news, lineups

Harlequins welcome Northampton Saints to Twickenham Stoop this Saturday afternoon for the final gameweek of this year's regular Premiership Rugby season.

Quins were beaten 26-12 by Saracens at the StoneX in their previous outing, while the Saints came from behind to beat Gloucester 36-32 at Franklin's Gardens.

Match preview

Harlequins’ streak of qualifying for the European Champions Cup in each of the previous five league campaigns could well end if they fall to defeat against Northampton Saints at Twickenham Stoop on Saturday afternoon.

Jason Gilmore’s men currently sit ninth in the table and trail eighth-placed Gloucester by a singular point, meaning a Cherry and Whites bonus point victory against Newcastle Red Bulls would have Quins playing in the European Challenge Cup next season.

However, big wins against both Newcastle and the Exeter Chiefs in recent weeks mean that anything less from George Skivington’s men will put Harlequins’ destiny in their own hands, with the London outfit having a superior points difference to Gloucester.

Although they were defeated at home to Northampton in the Premiership Rugby Cup earlier this year, Quins have won each of their previous six league matches against Saturday’s opponents at Twickenham Stoop and will be hoping to extend that streak in order to be competing amongst Europe’s elite again next season.

With top spot already secured, Saturday’s match against Harlequins comes as more of a warm up match for Northampton ahead of returning to home soil next weekend.

Having put Bristol Bears to the sword at Franklin’s Gardens three weeks ago, confirming their playoff place, the Saints sealed a home semi-final with a late comeback victory against Gloucester on Saturday afternoon.

Winning 10 of their previous 11 league matches, Phil Dowson’s side have pulled away at the top of the table and after miserably defending their Premiership title last season, will be looking to snatch the crown back off Bath at the end of the month.

Although keeping the squad in peak condition will be Dowson’s main priority, the Saints will be confident of rounding off the regular season in style and beating Harlequins for the fourth successive encounter.

Harlequins Premiership form:

Harlequins form (all competitions):

Northampton Saints Premiership form:

Northampton Saints form (all competitions):

Team News

Gilmore has made a handful of changes to the pack that faced Saracens last weekend as Pedro Delgado, Zach Carr, Elliot Williams and Chandler Cunningham-South make way for Ollie Streeter, Jonny Green, Stephan Lewies and Jarrod Evans.

There is only the singular change across the Quins backline, with Cadan Murley moving to outside-centre and being replaced on the wing by Cassius Cleaves.

The Saints have made an abundance of changes to the side that edged past Gloucester last weekend as Dowson rests the likes of Alex Coles, Henry Pollock, Fin Smith, Tommy Freeman and George Furbank.

Amongst the newcomers include Fraser Dingwall, Curtis Langdon and Tom Lockett.

Starting as a replacement, Sonny Tonga'uiha has the chance to make his Premiership debut on Saturday afternoon.

Harlequins starting lineup:

15 Benson, 14 Anderson, 13 Murley, 12 Bradley, 11 Cleaves, 10 Smith, 9 Porter; 1 Hobson, 2 Riley, 3 Streeter, 4 Green, 5 Lewies, 6 Kenningham, 7 Evans, 8 Dombrandt

Replacements:

16 Staples, 17 Wenger, 18 Delgado, 19 Treadwell, 20 Petti Pagadizabal, 21 Lawday, 22 Townsend, 23 Bellamy

Northampton Saints starting lineup:

15 Pater, 14 Martin, 13 Litchfield, 12 Dingwall, 11 Ramm, 10 Belleau, 9 Weimann; 1 Fischetti, 2 Langdon, 3 Kundiona, 4 Lockett, 5 van der Mescht, 6 Kemeny, 7 Pearson, 8 Graham

Replacements:

16 Wright, 17 West, 18 Tonga'uiha, 19 Munga, 20 Chick, 21 James, 22 Thame, 23 Hendy

We say: Harlequins 12-30 Northampton Saints

Harlequins' recent form leaves them with plenty to be optimistic about heading into next season, however for the time being it is hard to look past the Saints.

We think that Dowson's side will prove to have too much for Quins, picking up a bonus point victory and becoming the first side to surpass the 75 point mark since the league was reduced to 11 teams in 2022.

>Click here to read the full previews of every Premiership Rugby game this weekend