150 up for Alex Coles | Northampton Saints Team News

October 23, 2026
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Ultimate Rugby

Alex Coles will become the latest member of Northampton Saints’ squad to make 150th appearances in a Black, Green and Gold shirt, when he brings up the milestone against Leicester Tigers on Saturday (24 October, kick-off: 3.05pm).

The 27-year-old lock follows Fraser Dingwall, Rory Hutchinson and Alex Mitchell to become the fourth member of Saints’ current squad to reach 150 appearances for his boyhood club, having debuted for Northampton in 2018.

The clash will mark Coles’ 12th match against Saints’ Midlands rivals when Northampton make the short trip to Mattioli Woods Welford Road for Derby Weekend in the Gallagher PREM.

Saints are without a victory in Leicester since January 2023, when a single point decided the 18-19 result. Since then, the last five meetings between the sides have been won by the hosts on the day – with Saints last taking home the bragging rights when a Tom Litchfield hat-trick helped Northampton to a 45-31 win on home soil in last season’s PREM play-off.

The week, Coles marks one of nine changes to Saints’ side for the Derby Day clash, with Emmanuel Iyogun, Curtis Langdon, Ed Prowse, Tom Pearson and Henry Pollock the other names coming into the forward pack.

Cleopas Kundiona is the only face to stay on in Northampton’s front row as he packs down at tighthead prop, alongside loosehead Iyogun and hooker Langdon, while milestone man Coles joins Prowse in the second row against Tigers.

The only other returnee in Saints’ forwards is Josh Kemeny, with the 27-year-old Australian retaining his spot at blindside flanker to join No. 8 Henry Pollock and openside flanker Tom Pearson, who is set to make his first PREM appearance of the season.

Three more changes come for Saints in the backs with the first being Fin Smith – who leads the PREM stats for successful kicks from the tee (16) and points scored (37), as well as try assists (5).

Smith returns to start at fly-half for Saints, joining fellow British & Irish Lion Alex Mitchell – who scored one of Saints’ 11 tries in their last PREM outing against Bath Rugby – in the half-back berths.

Behind Mitchell and Smith, Dingwall comes back into the starting XV to captain Northampton and partners Scotland international Rory Hutchinson there at Welford Road.

The PREM’s leading metre maker (130.2 metres per 80 minutes on average) George Hendy stays on as one of Saints’ wingers, with Tommy Freeman making his return on the opposite side of Northampton’s back three. Meanwhile James Pater, who scored his sixth try of the season last weekend, starts at fullback.

Phil Dowson names a six-two bench for the clash in Leicester, with the likes of Danilo Fischetti, JJ Van Der Mescht and Callum Chick set to lend their physicality to the clash when they enter the action – while Archie McParland and Ollie Sleightholme provide the backs cover against Tigers.

LEICESTER TIGERS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Gallagher PREM, Round 4

Saturday 24 October, 2026

Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Kick-off: 3.05pm

15 James Pater

14 Tommy Freeman

13 Rory Hutchinson

12 Fraser Dingwall (c)

11 George Hendy

10 Fin Smith

9 Alex Mitchell