The East Midlands derby takes center stage Saturday as Leicester Tigers host Northampton Saints in one of the defining fixtures of the Gallagher PREM Rugby season. With playoff positioning and regional bragging rights both on the line, Mattioli Woods Welford Road is set for a high-stakes showdown between two of England’s biggest rivals.
Northampton arrive atop the table after a dramatic last-gasp win over Bath Rugby reinforced their status as league leaders. Saints can officially secure a playoff place this weekend depending on results elsewhere, and a bonus-point victory would guarantee their spot in the postseason. Led by the dynamic halfback pairing of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith, Northampton continue to set the standard offensively across the league.
- Rugby Union Club Rankings 2026: Leinster, Stormers Hold
- What's Streaming On FloRugby? Take A Look At The Schedule
- Top 50 Rugby Union Prospects 2026: No. 10-1 | FloRugby Rankings
Watch The Rugby Wrap Up's 'The Rugby Odds' Podcast On FloRugby
Leicester, meanwhile, have impressed throughout Geoff Parling’s first season in charge and remain firmly in the playoff hunt themselves. Injuries force a key change at fly-half with veteran James O’Connor stepping in for Billy Searle, while England internationals Ollie Chessum and George Martin start together in the second row for the first time since October 2024.
Leicester’s territorial game remains among the PREM’s most effective, leading the league with 441 kicks in play and more than 12,000 kick metres. Freddie Steward continues to dominate in open-field carrying, while Tommy Reffell’s breakdown work remains central to Tigers’ defensive structure. Northampton counter with the league’s most dangerous attack, leading the PREM in carries and carry metres, with Tommy Freeman’s 13 tries and Alex Mitchell’s league-leading 12 try assists driving their success.
Leicester Tigers vs. Northampton Saints Kickoff Time
Leicester Tigers host Northampton Saints at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, with Matthew Carley appointed as referee. The match is part of the Gallagher PREM Rugby schedule.
How To Watch Leicester Tigers vs. Northampton Saints
The match will be broadcast live FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States.
Leicester Tigers Lineup vs. Northampton Saints
- Freddie Steward
- Adam Radwan
- Will Wand
- Orlando Bailey
- Ollie Hassell-Collins
- James O’Connor
- Jack van Poortvliet
- Nicky Smith
- Jamie Blamire
- Joe Heyes
- Ollie Chessum (c)
- George Martin
- Hanro Liebenberg
- Tommy Reffell
- Joaquin Moro
Replacements:
- Charlie Clare
- Archie van der Flier
- Will Hurd
- Cameron Henderson
- Samuel Williams
- Tom Whiteley
- Solomone Kata
- Izaia Perese
Northampton Saints Lineup vs. Leicester Tigers
- George Furbank (c)
- Tommy Freeman
- Rory Hutchinson
- Fraser Dingwall (c)
- George Hendy
- Fin Smith
- Alex Mitchell
- Emmanuel Iyogun
- Robbie Smith
- Luke Green
- Tom Lockett
- JJ Van Der Mescht
- Josh Kemeny
- Sam Graham
- Callum Chick
Replacements:
- Craig Wright
- Tom West
- Elliot Millar Mills
- Ed Prowse
- Chunya Munga
- Henry Pollock
- Archie McParland
- Tom Litchfield
Subscribe To Watch Rugby All Year Long With A FloRugby Annual Subscription
A FloRugby subscription provides access to Gallagher PREM Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, Top 14, URC, and more, with live matches, replays, and exclusive coverage available worldwide.
Rugby Union Club Rankings - May 6, 2026
- Leinster (URC) - 10-6 - Last: 1
- Stormers (URC) - 12-4 - Last: 2
- Bath Rugby (PREM) - 11-3 - Last: 3
- Bordeaux Bègles (Top 14) - 12-10 - Last: 4
- Northampton Saints (PREM) - 12-1-1 - Last: 5
- Glasgow Warriors (URC) - 11-5 - Last: 6
- Ulster (URC) - 9-7 - Last: 7
- Montpellier (Top 14) - 13-8-1 - Last: 8
- Hurricanes (SRP) - 8-2 - Last: 11
- Saitama Wild Knights (JRLO) - 15-2 - Last: 10
- Chiefs (SRP) - 8-2 - Last: 12
- Bristol Bears (PREM) - 10-4 - Last: 13
- Toulouse (Top 14) - 16-6 - Last: 14
- Toulon (Top 14) - 11-10-1 - Last: 15
- Kubota Spears (JRLO) - 14-3 - Last: 17
- Kobelco Kobe Steelers (JRLO) - 15-2 - Last: 16
- Exeter Chiefs (PREM) - 8-5-1 - Last: 9
- Reds (SRP) - 6-4 - Last: 20
- Stade Français (Top 14) - 12-9-1 - Last: 18
- Leicester Tigers (PREM) - 10-4 - Last: 21
- Pau (Top 14) - 14-8 - Last: 22
- Brumbies (SRP) - 5-6 - Last: 19
- Lions (URC) - 10-5-1 - Last: 23
- Cardiff Rugby (URC) - 10-6 - Last: 24
- Racing 92 (Top 14) - 13-8-1 - Last: 25
Investec Champions Cup Final
Saturday, May 23
- 9:45 a.m. ET - Leinster Rugby vs. Union Bordeaux Bègles - San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
EPCR Challenge Cup Final
Friday, May 22
- 3:00 p.m. ET - Ulster Rugby vs. Montpellier Hérault Rugby - San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
How The Rankings Work
These cross-competition power rankings compare professional rugby union clubs across major leagues using a standings-based rating model. Each team’s rating is shaped by record, point differential, league strength, previous rating and major knockout competition status.
Champions Cup semifinalists receive an added boost because those results provide the strongest cross-league signal, while Challenge Cup semifinalists receive a smaller adjustment. The model also uses league-specific caps and movement limits, so strong records in developing or lower-strength competitions do not outweigh proven performance in deeper leagues.
The rankings are meant to estimate current club strength across competitions, not simply mirror domestic league tables.
A FloRugby annual subscription provides access to live matches and replays from the URC, Gallagher PREM Rugby, Top 14 and EPCR competitions throughout the global rugby season.
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
Professional club rugby in Europe all streams on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.