Bath vs Northampton Saints Prediction: Saints to push Bath all the way

Two of England's strongest sides go head-to-head in the European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-finals, as Bath host Northampton Saints at The Recreation Ground on Friday night (20:00 BST, Premier Sports 1).

Below are my Bath vs Northampton Saints predictions, as well as all the essential team news and match odds for the showdown in Somerset.

Team News

Starting with the hosts, Bath have gone with a front row of Beno Obano, Tom Dunn and Vilikesa Sela, with locks Quinn Roux and Charlie Ewels in the second row.

Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill and Miles Reid complete the pack, while skipper Ben Spencer partners Finn Russell in the half-backs once again.

Cameron Redpath and Ollie Lawrence pair up in the centres, while the Blue, Black & Whites have a back three of Will Muir, Henry Arundell and Tom de Glanville.

As for Northampton, the visitors have a front row of Danilo Fischetti, Curtis Langdon and Cleopas Kundiona, with locks Tom Lockett and JJ Van Der Mescht in the engine room.

Josh Kemeny, Tom Pearson and Henry Pollock form the back row, with Archie McParland and Fin Smith in the half-backs.

Fraser Dingwall and Rory Hutchinson start in the centres, while Ollie Sleightholme, Tommy Freeman and skipper George Furbank form the back three.

Bath vs Northampton Saints Odds

Bath are the favourites at 2/7 to claim the victory on Friday night, while Northampton are 3/1 underdogs to claim the victory in the 80 minutes.

A draw at The Rec is available at 18/1, while Saints to be leading at the half-time whistle is currently 21/10.

Leinster -24 points @ 4/5

Winning of their last six home games in all competitions, including a 31-22 victory over Saracens in the Champions Cup round of 16, Bath have made The Rec a fortress.

That home advantage and the outstanding half-back pairing of Spencer and Russell might just see Bath edge a high-scoring encounter on Friday night.

However, the handicap market in favour of Northampton at +8 certainly catches the eye.

Saints were the last away side to win at The Recreation Ground back in December, thanks to a 41-21 victory for the East Midlands outfit.

Northampton have won three of their last four encounters with the Blue, Black & Whites, so they will certainly be no pushovers in this European quarter-final.

Home advantage might just see Bath home, but the Saints with the +8 handicap is hard to pass up given how many attacking threats they have in their XV and on the bench.

The likes of England internationals Pollock, Freeman and Furbank can strike from anywhere on the field and Northampton's ability to build a scoreboard means they get the green light in the handicap market for this intriguing clash.

Click the link for all the latest Rugby Union Odds