Exeter Chiefs vs Northampton Saints Prediction: Chiefs to respond to Gloucester mauling

Two teams that could hardly have gone through more contrasting recent times are set to go head-to-head at Sandy Park on Sunday (15:00, live on TNT Sports 1) as Exeter Chiefs host Northampton Saints.

Read on for my Exeter Chiefs vs Northampton Saints prediction, featuring the latest odds and team news.

Defending English Premiership champions Northampton go into Sunday's clash on the back of wowing everyone with a spectacular 37-34 win at Leinster that booked their place in the European Rugby Champions Cup final, where they will face Bordeaux on May 24.

That victory was also the Saints' fifth on the bounce, having also beaten Bristol, Newcastle, Castres and Clermont Auvergne, and there is no doubt there is a feel-good factor around the squad.

The Chiefs, by stark contrast, are on course for their worst season in the top flight since they were promoted after winning the Championship in 2009/10, while they are still dealing with the ramifications of their record 79-17 loss at Gloucester last time out.

Exeter Chiefs vs Northampton Saints Odds

Despite the debacle at Kingsholm, Exeter are strong 3/10 favourites to make some kind of amends, while the perhaps distracted and understrength Northampton are on offer at 13/5 to make it a sixth successive win, with the draw priced at 22/1.

The Handicap 3-Way gives the Saints a nine-point start, while it is 6/4 that there are 71 or more total points.

Team News

The shambles at Gloucester has unsurprisingly had a far greater effect than merely changing the playing personnel as Rob Baxter has taken the reins once again, with head coach Rob Hunter having left the club while backs coach Ali Hepher is also not involved.

Baxter has made changes to the starting XV with Jacques Vermeulen and Richard Capstick coming in for Greg Fisilau and Ross Vintcent in a new-look back-row alongside Ethan Roots.

The big news is that Nick Lilley will make his Exeter debut on the wing among three changes in the back line with Stu Townsend returning at scrum-half while Will Rigg joins Henry Slade in the centres.

Even less surprising than an Exeter reaction is a wholesale change from the Saints as they change 14 of the starting heroes from the win at the Aviva Stadium, with Tom Litchfield the only one to retain his place, switching from the wing to the centres.

Flanker Fyn Brown and winger Toby Cousins will make their Premiership debuts for the Black, Green and Gold, who will be led for the first time by Tom Lockett, while Tom James will call the shots as Northampton's fly-half for only the second time in his career.

Exeter Chiefs -9.5 @ 10/11

The Saints have a good recent record against Exeter having won the last three meetings between the two, which includes a 42-36 success on their last visit to Sandy Park as well as a 30-24 victory in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

However, their excellent run should come to an end on Sunday as they give their starters a well-earned weekend off, with Exeter - who have had two weeks to prepare for this match - sure to be fired up as they look to make amends for their Gloucester horror show now back in front of their own supporters for the first time since.

Baxter will take no prisoners now he is calling the shots once again and against a massively understrength line-up from the visitors, they can bounce back with a comfortable win, having pushed runaway leaders Bath close - narrowly losing 24-26 - at Sandy Park just prior to their Gloucester meltdown.

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