Prowse skippers Saints in final clash

Ed Prowse will captain Northampton Saints for the first time in his career this weekend, as the men in Black, Green and Gold embark on their final outing of the season at Gloucester Rugby.

The 24-year-old marks one of 14 changes to the starting XV that were defeated by Union Bordeaux Bègles in last week’s Investec Champions Cup Final, as Phil Dowson rings the changes for Saints’ last Gallagher Premiership outing this term.

The Round 18 clash sees Northampton travel to fifth-placed Gloucester – whose play-off hopes remain the balance – hoping to rectify a 17-25 defeat to the Cherry and Whites back in Round 7 of the competition.

Captain Prowse is joined in Saints’ second row by Chunya Munga this weekend, while a new-look front row of props Tarek Haffar and Luke Green plus hooker Henry Walker pack down together at Kingsholm.

A first Premiership start awaits Archie Benson in Saints’ back row, as the 23-year-old joins a returning Tom Pearson – who features in his first match since April after recovering from a knee injury – and No.8 Fyn Brown against Gloucester.

Scrum-half Jonny Weimann features at Kingsholm to make his second start in Black, Green and Gold, joining Rory Hutchinson in Saints’ half-backs as the Scotland international shifts into the fly-half position for the second time this season.

Fresh from signing his first professional contract with the Club two weeks ago, centre Henry Lumley is set to become Saint #2109 as he returns to Kingsholm – the venue where he helped Northampton lift the Premiership Rugby Under-18 Academy League trophy earlier this season – to start in Saints’ midfield alongside Tom Litchfield.

Ollie Sleightholme runs out on the wing again this weekend after making his return from injury against Bordeaux last weekend, with fellow winger Toby Cousins and fullback Jake Garside also named in Saints’ back three to complete Northampton’s final line-up of the season.

There is room for another Under-18 starlet among Saints’ replacements in Gloucester, with fullback James Pater primed to enter the action for his Club debut at Kingsholm – while the likes of Nathan Langdon, Callum Hunter-Hill and Ewan Baker are also named on the bench for their final outings in a Saints shirt.

GLOUCESTER RUGBY vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Premiership, Round 18

Kingsholm Stadium

Saturday 31 May, 2025

Kick-off: 3.05pm

15 Jake Garside

14 Toby Cousins

13 Henry Lumley – Saint #2109

12 Tom Litchfield

11 Ollie Sleightholme

10 Rory Hutchinson

9 Jonny Weimann

1 Tarek Haffar

2 Henry Walker

3 Luke Green

4 Ed Prowse (c)

5 Chunya Munga

6 Archie Benson – First Premiership start

7 Tom Pearson

8 Fyn Brown

Replacements:

16 Nathan Langdon

17 Emmanuel Iyogun

18 Elliot Millar Mills

19 Callum Hunter-Hill

20 Tom Lockett

21 Iakopo Mapu

22 James Pater – Northampton Saints debut

23 Ewan Baker

Not available for selection:

Juarno Augustus, George Furbank, Sam Graham, George Hendy, George Makepeace-Cubitt, Temo Mayanavanua, Archie McParland, Burger Odendaal, James Ramm, Charlie Savala, Robbie Smith, Toby Thame, Tom West and Craig Wright.

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

Assistant referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys and Jonathan Healy

TMO: Andrew Jackson

No.4: Veryan Boscawen