Northampton Saints vs Castres Prediction: Castres to make Saints work for victory

European Champions Cup action continues on Saturday afternoon as English Premiership champions Northampton Saints hosts Castres at Franklin’s Gardens (3.15pm, Premier Sports 2). 

Alex Jack provides his best bets for Northampton Saints vs Castres as well as all the important team news and match odds. 

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Team News 

Northampton Saints will be relieved to have Fin Smith back at fly-half after he left the field in the first few minutes in the defeat to Gloucester last time out. 

Smith starts in a formidable backline that also includes fellow England internationals Alex Mitchell, Ollie Sleightholme, Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman. 

In the forwards, Emmanuel Iyogun, Elliot Millar Mills and hooker Curtis Langdon form the front-row, with Temo Mayanavanua and Tom Lockett in the engine room. 

Flankers Henry Pollock and Angus Scott-Young, with No.8 Juarno Augustus, complete Northampton's starting pack. George Furbank misses Saturday's game, so Dingwall will wear the armband for the hosts this weekend. 

As for Castres, they start with Lois Guerois, Loris Zarantonello and Aurelien Azar in the front-row, with locks Guillaume Ducat and Leone Nakarawa in behind. 

Yann Peysson, Tyler Ardron and Feibyan Tukino form the back-row, with Santiago Arata and Louis Le Brun in the half-backs. The remainder of the Castres backline consists of Joris Dupont, Adrien Seguret, Nathanael Hulleu, Josaia Raisuqe and Theo Chabouni. 

Northampton Saints vs Castres Odds

Northampton are 1/20 to win, while Castres are 9/1 to cause a major upset at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday. 

A draw is available at 25/1, while Castres to come out on top with a +12 handicap is currently 6/4. 

Castres +15 handicap @ 13/10

On a dry paddock at Franklin's Gardens and with the talent Northampton boast in a backline, the Saints would be confident of overcoming the -15 handicap on offer. 

However, with wet and windy conditions expected in the East Midlands this weekend, the weather is likely to be a leveller between the two sides. Castres have been hit and miss in the Top 14 this season, as they currently sit in seventh place in the table with six wins from their first 11 games. 

They do have some dangerous players in their back division, while fly-half Le Brun is the sixth-highest points scorer in the Top 14 this term. 

Northampton, who reached the Champions Cup semi-finals last season before defeat to eventual runners-up Leinster, have the quality to win this game, but with the conditions set to play a key role, the scoreline at Franklin's Gardens might well be tighter than many predict. 

Castres lost 28-21 on their last visit to Northampton back in 2017 and a similar scoreline could be on the cards this weekend at the home of the Premiership champions.