European Rugby Champions Cup: Northampton Saints v Ospreys preview

English Premiership leaders Northampton Saints welcome the only unbeaten team at Europe's top table, Ospreys, in a mouthwatering Champions Cup clash at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

The Pool 5 rivals clashed in last season's early rounds and it was the Saints who took the spoils, winning 27-16 at home before claiming a 29-17 victory at the Liberty Stadium.

Those wins still were not enough for Jim Mallinder's men to reach the knockout stages, though, as they dropped down into the Challenge Cup and conquered the competition.

The Ospreys are the only side who still have a 100 per cent record intact this season after they secured their seventh straight win against Treviso last weekend.

Wales and Saints winger George North, formerly of Scarlets, will be more familiar with the Ospreys than many of his team-mates, but claims Saturday’s showdown is do-or-die for the hosts.

“It didn’t go to plan in Paris, ideally we wanted a win, but now we have plan b to work on,” North told Sky Sports.

“Ospreys are a quality oufit and they’re the in-form side, but we are definitely viewing this as a must-win game.”

While Northampton are wary of the threat posed by European rugby’s form side, Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy acknowledged the strength of the Premiership champions.

Test against the best

“The European Cup is all about testing yourself against the very best, and that’s what we are up against this weekend,” he told the club’s official website.

“We’re talking about English champions and current Premiership leaders, with quality and experience right throughout the team, so we know that we are in for a tough 80 minutes.

“We played them twice last season and came off second best so we know what we are going into. If we aren’t at our best, in terms of preparation in the days leading into matchday, and then from the first whistle, make no mistake, we could find ourselves in for a rough ride.”

In a bid to find their first win of the competition Saints coach Mallinder has two changes to the side which succumbed to Racing with Lee Dickson and James Wilson coming into the run-on side.

Dickson rotates with Kahn Fotuali’i at scrum-half and Wilson replaces the injured George Pisi in midfield, while American back-row Samu Manoa clocks up his century of appearances for the club.

Ahead of their trip across the border, Ospreys have made just one change to the side which got them off to a flying start with a 42-7 triumph against Treviso.

Winger Eli Walker, who many considered unfortunate not to receive an Wales call-up in the week, has picked up an ankle knock and is replaced in the starting XV on the left channel by Hanno Dirksen.

Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden; 14 Ken Pisi, 13 James Wilson, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 George North; 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson; 1 Alex Waller, 2 Dylan Hartley (capt), 3 Salesi Ma’afu, 4 Courtney Lawes, 5 Christian Day, 6 Calum Clark, 7 Tom Wood, 8 Samu Manoa
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 James Craig, 20 Phil Dowson, 21 Khan Fotuali’I, 22 Will Hooley, 23 Jamie Elliott

Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans; 14 Jeff Hassler, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Hanno Dirksen; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb; 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Dmitri Arhip, 4 Lloyd Peers, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (capt), 6 James King, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Joe Bearman
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Duncan Jones, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Morgan Allen, 21 Sam Lewis, 22 Martin Roberts, 23 Sam Davies

Watch Northampton Saints v Ospreys live on Sky Sports 2HD from 5pm on Saturday