Northampton v Bourgoin: Teams

Northampton have unsurprisingly stuck with their strongest line-up for their European Challenge Cup Final against Bourgoin on Friday night.

The Twickenham Stoop fixture sees the Saints maintain the same side that ovecame Saracens in the semi-finals.

Saints Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder is desperate to end their comeback season in the Guinness Premiership on what would be a massive high.

"In many ways we have had a good season," he said. "However success is only measured by the number of trophies that you win and tomorrow evening we have the opportunity to win a major tournament.

"The European Challenge Cup has been an important competition for us this season. We have won at some difficult venues and blooded some players who have gone on to become regulars in the first team.

"There were some good teams in the Challenge Cup this year and it is a privilege to be in the final."

However, Mallinder has urged his side not to expect an easy final against the French, who defeated the Exiles at the Madejski Stadium in their semi-final.

"Bourgoin showed when they beat London Irish that they cannot be underestimated," he said.

Momentum

"Since then they have built up some good momentum in the Challenge Cup and in the Top 14."

Meanwhile, the French have made two changes from the XV that beat the Exiles with Anthony Forest and Jean-Francois Coux coming in at full-back and wing respectively.

Captain Julien Frier, who was playing the last time the side lifted the trophy back in 1997, admits he's eager to achieve the feat once again.

"Personally speaking, it would therefore be a great reward to finish off the season on a high with Bourgoin, now that we are so close to achieving something big," he said.

"Back in 1997, I was much younger and came on from the replacements bench so I didn't quite appreciate the achievement of being in a final and experience the true joy of such a victory.

"But now that is something that would mean a lot to me, to the club and to our fans."

Northampton: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Paul Diggin, 13 Jon Clarke, 12 James Downey, 11 Bruce Reihana (capt), 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Mark Easter, 7 Scott Gray, 6 Neil Best, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.

Replacements: 16 Brett Sharman, 17 Tom Smith, 18 Christian Day, 19 Courtney Lawes, 20 Alan Dickens, 21 Barry Everitt, 22 Joe Ansbro.

Bourgoin: 15 Anthony Forest, 14 Rudi Coetzee, 13 Matias Viazzo, 12 Yann David, 11 Jean-Francois Coux, 10 Benjamin Boyet, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Yann Labrit, 7 Wessel Jooste, 6 Julien Frier (capt), 5 Camille Levast, 4 Coenraad Basson, 3 Karena Wihongi, 2 Jean-Philippe Genevois, 1 Arnaud Tchougong.

Replacements: 16 Rémy Vigneaux, 17 Pablo Cardinali, 18 Thomas Genevois, 19 Sylvain Nicolas, 20 Mickaël Forest, 21 Matthieu Nicolas, 22 Florian Denos.