Newcastle Red Bulls vs Northampton Saints Prediction: Saints to march home with spoils

Northampton Saints could run riot at Kingston Park on Friday night (19:45, TNT Sports Extra) as they take on the Gallagher Prem’s rock-bottom side, Newcastle Red Bulls.

Alex Jack provides his best bets in his Newcastle Red Bulls vs Northampton Saints prediction piece, as well as all the essential team news and match odds for the encounter in the north east.

Team News

Starting with Newcastle, the Red Bulls have a front row made up of Adam Brocklebank, George McGuigan and Richard Palframan, with locks Jamie Hodgson and Freddie Clarke in the second row.

Fergus Lee-Warner, Tom Gordon and Amanaki Mafi start in the back row, with Simón Benitez Cruz and Brett Connon in the half-backs.

Max Clark and Alex Hearle start in the centres, with Newcastle’s back three made up of  Liam Williams, Oli Spencer and Boeta Chamberlain.

As for Northampton, the Saints start with Danilo Fischetti, Robbie Smith and Trevor Davison in the front row, with locks Alex Coles and JJ Van Der Mescht in the engine room.

Josh Kemeny, Sam Graham and Callum Chick start in the back row, with British & Irish Lions duo Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith in the half-backs.

Fraser Dingwall and Rory Hutchinson will combine in the centres, with Tom Litchfield, Edoardo Todaro and Tommy Freeman forming a dangerous back three.

Newcastle Red Bulls vs Northampton Saints Odds

Newcastle Red Bulls are 11/2 to cause an upset on Friday night, while Northampton Saints are 1/9 favourites to head back to the East Midlands with the victory.

A draw at Kingston Park is available at odds of 25/1, while Northampton with a -7.5 first-half handicap is 5/6.

Northampton Saints -18 handicap @ 21/20

Conceding 134 points and scoring just 37 in their opening three games of the Gallagher Prem season, it’s been a torrid start for Newcastle in their new era under Red Bull ownership.

The Red Bulls are shipping 44.6 points per game, which makes it extremely difficult to win in the Prem, and next they face the third-highest point scorers in the league so far.

Northampton are unbeaten after the first three rounds, drawing with Exeter Chiefs before wins over Gloucester and East Midlands rivals Leicester Tigers last weekend.

With the British & Irish Lions stars back in the fold, Northampton have an embarrassment of riches in the backline, with Mitchell, Smith and Freeman ready to shine.

Scotland centre Hutchinson is in the form of his life right now and he too will be a danger both with and without the ball on Friday night at outside centre.

Given how Newcastle have been conceding points in the first few weeks of the season, a one-sided affair would come as no surprise at Kingston Park, and Northampton are backed to cover the sizeable -18 handicap in this one.

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