Newcastle Falcons vs Northampton Saints Prediction: Distracted Saints to fall at Kingston

Kingston Park takes centre stage on Friday night (19:45, TNT Sports 1) as Newcastle Falcons look to give their Gallagher Premiership survival hopes a shot in the arm when they host Northampton Saints.

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

Rugby Union Odds

Team News

Newcastle have a front row consisting of Adam Brocklebank, Jamie Blamire and Murray McCallum, with locks John Hawkins and Sebastian de Chaves in behind.

Freddie Lockwood and Cameron Neild are joined by skipper Callum Chick in the back row, with Sam Stuart and Brett Connon in the half-backs.

Max Clark and Connor Doherty start in the centres, with Newcastle starting Ben Stevenson, Alex Hearle and Elliott Obatoyinbo in the back three.

As for Northampton, Tom West, Craig Wright and Luke Green start in the front row, with locks Chunya Munga and Tom Lockett in the engine room.

Angus Scott-Young, Tom Pearson and Iakopo Mapu start in the back row, with Tom James and Charlie Savala in the half-backs.

Rory Hutchinson and skipper Burger Odendaal start in the centres, with Tom Seabrook, Tom Litchfield and James Ramm in the back three.

Newcastle Falcons vs Northampton Saints Odds

Newcastle are 5/1 to win on their own patch on Friday night, while Northampton are 1/7 favourites to head back to the East Midlands with the victory.

A draw on the night at Kingston Park is currently 22/1, while Newcastle to be leading at the half-time whistle is 11/4.

Newcastle Falcons +10 handicap @ 7/5

Northampton’s Premiership title defence has not gone according to plan and Saints won’t be making the play-offs this season.

However, Saints have saved some of their best performances for Europe and they have a trip to Dublin and a clash with Leinster to look forward to on May 3rd in the European Champions Cup.

With that huge and difficult clash against a star-studded Leinster side in mind, Northampton boss Phil Dowson has understandably looked to rest his big names for Friday’s long trip to Newcastle.

This game means far more to the Falcons than it does the Saints, as Newcastle battle Exeter Chiefs for their Premiership survival.

Expect Steve Diamond’s side to throw all they have at this much-changed Northampton side, who are missing the likes of Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, George Furbank and Tommy Freeman from their starting lineup.

Northampton’s fringe players will still feel like they have a point to prove, so don’t expect it to be one-way traffic for the hosts on Friday.

However, there is certainly a generous +10 handicap on offer for Newcastle and the home side look capable of falling on the right side of that against the distracted visitors, who have much bigger fish to fry in Dublin next month.

Rugby Union Betting Tips from Betfred Insights