Saints make three changes for Newcastle Red Bulls clash

Phil Dowson makes three changes to his Northampton Saints side this weekend, as the men in Black, Green and Gold travel to Newcastle Red Bulls in Round 4 of the Gallagher PREM.

The clash takes place under the Friday Night Lights at a sold-out Kingston Park, and sees Northampton – who sit second in the PREM standings after three rounds – look to keep their unbeaten record in the league following last Saturday’s Derby Weekend victory over Leicester Tigers.

Saints have left Newcastle victorious on their last five trips north, having last been defeated by Red Bulls back in 2021. But the last two match ups at Kingston Park have been decided by just two points or less, and so the stage is set for another thrilling encounter in Newcastle.

Callum Chick leads Northampton out against his former club Newcastle as he is named captain for the Friday night encounter, with Sam Graham coming into Saints’ starting line-up to start at flanker alongside Josh Kemeny in the back row.

One of those three changes for Saints, Danilo Fischetti makes his first start in Black, Green and Gold at Kingston Park as he joins an otherwise unchanged front row of hooker Robbie Smith and tighthead prop Trevor Davison.

Alex Coles and JJ Van Der Mescht – who tops the league’s lineout steals statistics – pack down in Saints’ engine room for the second week running against Newcastle.

Behind them, British & Irish Lions duo Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith – who have both re-signed with the Club over the last two weeks – form Saints’ half-backs, with centres Fraser Dingwall and Rory Hutchinson starting outside them in the midfield.

Tommy Freeman shifts into the fullback role for Northampton this week in place of the injured George Hendy, which allows Tom Litchfield to join last weekend’s player of the match Edoardo Todaro on Saints’ wings.

Dowson opts for a six-two bench at Newcastle, with the likes of Emmanuel Iyogun, Henry Pollock and Anthony Belleau all primed to enter the action at Kingston Park.

NEWCASTLE RED BULLS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Gallagher PREM, Round 4

Friday 17 October, 2025

Kingston Park

Kick-off: 7.45pm

15 Tommy Freeman

14 Edoardo Todaro

13 Rory Hutchinson

12 Fraser Dingwall

11 Tom Litchfield

10 Fin Smith

9 Alex Mitchell

1 Danilo Fischetti

2 Robbie Smith

3 Trevor Davison

4 Alex Coles

5 JJ Van Der Mescht

6 Josh Kemeny

7 Sam Graham

8 Callum Chick (c)

Replacements:

16 Craig Wright

17 Emmanuel Iyogun

18 Luke Green

19 Tom Lockett

20 Ed Prowse

21 Henry Pollock

22 Archie McParland

23 Anthony Belleau

Not considered for selection:

Emeka Atuanya, George Furbank, George Hendy, Curtis Langdon, Cleopas Kundiona, Elliot Millar Mills, James Ramm, Ollie Sleightholme and Charlie Ulcoq.

Referee: Ian Tempest

Assistant referees: Hamish Smales and James Clarke

No. 4: Wayne Falla

TMO: Peter Allan