Northampton Saints vs Harlequins Prediction: Quins to claim Franklin’s Gardens spoils

Northampton Saints and Harlequins will both be looking to bounce back to winning ways on Friday when they clash at Franklin's Gardens in the English Premiership.

The Saints lost 26-17 at Leicester Tigers last weekend, undone by a great performance from South African fly-half Handre Pollard, while Quins were thumped 38-10 at home by reigning champions Saracens.

Just one place and three points separates these two heading into the seventh round of fixtures, with Quins ahead of their rivals, and Friday's contest may prove to be a successful one for the visitors.

Team News

Northampton are without fly-half Fin Smith and centre Rory Hutchinson, who both picked up knocks against the Tigers, while Sam Graham, Juarno Augustus, Tom Seabrook and Burger Odendaal are also sidelined.

George Furbank moves from full-back to number 10, with George Hendy taking the 15 shirt, while Courtney Lawes returns after missing last weekend due to concussion to bolster the forwards.

Harlequins wing Cadan Murley is named in the starting XV for the first time this season, with Tyrone Green shifting to full-back, while Will Joseph is handed his second start of the campaign.

There are three changes in the forwards with Fin Baxter, Dillon Lewis and Irne Herbst all coming in. The back-row combination of Dino Lamb, Alex Dombrandt and Will Evans is selected for the fourth match in a row.

Match Odds

Northampton are 4/6 favourites to pick up their third home win of the season, with the tie priced at 18/1 and Harlequins 13/10 to chalk up a third away victory this term.

In the Handicap 3-Way market, the Saints are 10/11 starting at -3, with Quins 10/11 at +3 and the tie 25/1 at -3

Harlequins to win @ 13/10

It has been a mixed season so far for Quins, who have won three and lost three of their opening six fixtures to leave them seven points behind table-toppers Sale.

Having lost their first home match 33-27 to Bristol, Saints have chalked up victories over Bath and Exeter in their next two assignments at Franklin's Gardens.

While that home form is strong, the absence of key players in the backs is likely to reduce their attacking potency and the door is open for Harlequins to return to the winners' circle.

Quins have been strong on the road this season, with a narrow 29-28 defeat at Gloucester followed by road wins over Bristol (23-21) and Leicester (29-25), and they look capable of landing a third away success.

Marcus Smith continues to be a classy operator at fly-half for Harlequins and his side have been racking up the points across their six matches, totalling 152 to boast the fourth-best attack.

Previous meetings between these two have been high-scoring affairs, with the total points in the last five clashes reading 63, 78, 64, 63 and 68, but we may not get a similar outcome this time given the injuries facing Northampton.

But the play here looks to be Quins, at 13/10, to pick up the win and continue their solid away form.

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