Newcastle vs Northampton - Friday 7.45pm

[Puja]

Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Oli Spencer, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Max Clark, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Tom Gordon, 6 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Freddie Clarke, 4 Jamie Hodgson, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 George McGuigan (c), 1 Adam Brocklebank

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Murray McCallum, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 Oscar Usher, 20 Freddie Lockwood, 21 James Elliott, 22 Rhys Beeckmans, 23 Stefan Coetzee


Northampton Saints: 15 Tommy Freeman, 14 Edoardo Todaro, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Tom Litchfield, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Callum Chick (c), 7 Sam Graham, 6 Josh Kemeny, 5 JJ van der Mescht, 4 Alex Coles, 3 Trevor Davison, 2 Robbie Smith, 1 Danilo Fischetti

Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Luke Green, 19 Tom Lockett, 20 Ed Prowse, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Archie McParland, 23 Anthony Belleau

Venue: Kingston Park
Kick-off: 19:45 BST
How to watch: TNT Sports Extra and discovery+
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant Referees: Hamish Smales, James Clarke
TMO: Peter Allan

[Puja]

You feel another cuffing for Newcaslte is on the way - the disparity in quality between the two sides is striking.

Puja

[FKAS]

Very much a kicking heading the way of Newcastle. No real consistency in selection, especially in that makeshift backline. Doubt Dickens has any real plan. Northampton to get the TBP before half time.

[fivepointer]

Dickens must be the least inspiring Head Coach to be employed by a Premiership club. Diamond had his faults but Dickens is very obviously a serious downgrade.

One bright spark for NRB was Cruz last week but he's going to have his hands full against Mitchell.

[FKAS]

Newcastle making a real game of this. They get a result here and we might have to start saying some positive things about Dickens.

[Puja]

I possibly owe Dickens an apology. Very decent team performance and very unlucky to have their 4th try (which would've levelled the scores) chalked off - fair decision, but it was late to be given. As it is though, they still came away with no league points at all.

Mafi's still an incredible player, even at the age of 67.

Puja