Leicester Tigers vs Northampton Saints Prediction: Saints to seal bragging rights

East Midlands rivals Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints renew hostilities on Saturday evening (17:30, TNT Sports 1) when they go head-to-head at Welford Road.

Read below for my Leicester Tigers vs Northampton Saints prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds.

The teams have made very similar starts to the Premiership campaign, with Leicester and Northampton both winning two of their opening three games.

Interestingly the defeats for both the Tigers and the Saints came against last season’s Grand Final runners-up Bath.

Saturday provides another opportunity to see how these rivals are sizing up in this early stage of the campaign, in what will also be Michael Cheika’s first taste of the fiery East Midlands Derby.

Team News

Starting with the hosts, Leicester are boosted by the returns of international pair Julian Montoya and Handre Pollard at hooker and fly-half respectively.

In other changes for the hosts, Olly Cracknell comes back into the side at number eight, while in the backline it's Dan Kelly and Joseph Woodward who will combine in the centres.

Rugby Union Odds

As for the visitors, Saints boss Phil Dowson has made no less than six changes from the side that beat Harlequins 33-29 last time out.

Elliot Millar Mills, Temo Mayanvanua and Angus Scott-Young have all been named in the starting XV to freshen up the pack.

In the backline, centre Tom Litchfield makes his first appearance of the season, while 19-year-old scrum-half Archie McParland gets a second Premiership start.

Winger James Ramm returns, while last season’s Premiership top tryscorer Ollie Sleightholme will be hoping to make an impact off the bench.

Leicester Tigers vs Northampton Saints Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Leicester Tigers vs Northampton Saints page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Northampton Saints to win at the home of their rivals is available at 19/10, while Leicester Tigers to claim the victory and the bragging rights is currently 8/11.

A draw at Welford Road on Saturday evening is 22/1.

Match Result - Northampton @ 19/10

Leicester have already tasted defeat at Welford Road this season, in what was Cheika’s first game in charge at the home of the Tigers.

Bath were the winners that day and what was noticeable in that game was how the visitors were able to cut apart the Tigers’ defence out wide.

Some finely executed backline plays from Bath proved to be too much for the Leicester defence and if there is one area where this Northampton side are dangerous, it’s in open space out wide.

With a backline brimming with international talent and with England fly-half Fin Smith pulling the strings, Northampton are worth backing to make it back-to-back wins over Leicester after their 40-17 victory in their last encounter.

Rugby Union Betting Tips from Betfred Insights.