Phil Dowson names an unchanged starting line-up for Northampton Saints’ Investec Champions Cup quarter-final clash with Castres Olympique on Saturday (12 April, kick-off: 5.30pm).
The men in Black, Green and Gold defeated ASM Clermont Auvergne 46-24 in last week’s Round-of-16 fixture to progress, and turn their attentions to another French side this weekend as Castres come to Northampton for the second time this season.
Saints ran out 38-8 winners when the teams clashed in the Pool stages back in December, but will face a very different challenge at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens as they strive to keep their knock-out run going.
Fraser Dingwall keeps the captaincy against Castres, leading Saints from inside centre and partnering outside centre Burger Odendaal in the midfield for the third week running.
Outside them, Northampton are unchanged in the back three – with last week’s hat-trick scorer Tommy Freeman starting on Saints’ wing alongside George Hendy, while James Ramm begins the match at fullback.
England duo Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith – who scored 16 of Saints’ points last weekend – start in the half-back berths against Castres, at scrum-half and fly-half respectively.
Props Emmanuel Iyogun and Trevor Davison start alongside hooker Curtis Langdon again in the front row this week, with locks Temo Mayanavanua and Alex Coles behind them in the engine room.
In-form flankers Josh Kemeny and Henry Pollock stay on for Saints in the back row, joining No.8 Juarno Augustus – who scored a brace of tries in Castres’ last visit – to complete the starting line-up.
Saints switch to a five-three bench this weekend, with the likes of Scotland internationals Elliot Millar Mills and Rory Hutchinson set to enter the action alongside Tom Lockett, Tom Pearson and Tom James.
And there is a welcome return among Northampton’s replacements for Club captain George Furbank, who is primed to make his first appearance in Black, Green and Gold since December after recovering from injury.
Tickets for Saturday’s clash remain available from just £21 adult / £6 child* HERE.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs CASTRES OLYMPIQUE
Investec Champions Cup, Quarter-final
Saturday 12 April, 2025
Kick-off: 5.30pm
15 James Ramm
14 Tommy Freeman
13 Burger Odendaal
12 Fraser Dingwall (c)
11 George Hendy
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell
1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Trevor Davison
4 Temo Mayanavanua
5 Alex Coles
6 Josh Kemeny
7 Henry Pollock
8 Juarno Augustus
Replacements:
16 Henry Walker
17 Tom West
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Tom Lockett
20 Tom Pearson
21 Tom James
22 Rory Hutchinson
23 George Furbank
Not available for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Sam Graham, George Makepeace-Cubitt, Archie McParland, Toby Thame, Ollie Sleightholme, and Robbie Smith.
CASTRES TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Theo Chabouni, 14 Geoffrey Palis, 13 Vilimoni Botitu, 12 Jack Goodhue, 11 Rémy Baget, 10 Louis le Brun, 9 Jeremy Fernandez; 1 Quentin Walcker, 2 Gaetan Barlot, 3 Will Collier, 4 Gauthier Maravat, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 6 Mathieu Babillot (c), 7 Baptiste Delaporte, 8 Abraham Papalii.
Replacements: 16 Loris Zarantonello, 17 Lois Guerois-Galisson, 18 Aurelien Azar, 19 Simon Meka, 20 Romain Macurdy, 21 Baptiste Cope, 22 Santiago Arata Perrone, 23 Julien Dumora.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (ITA)
Assistant referees: Gianluca Gnecchi (ITA) and Morne Ferreira (RSA)
No.4: Mike Hudson (ENG)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (ITA)
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