Premiership rugby: Saracens v Northampton betting preview, free tips, TV details

Rugby union tips, best bets and predictions for Saracens v Northampton in the Gallagher Premiership.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 3pm Saturday

Best bets

Saracens -14
2pts 10-11 Betfair, Betfred, Paddy Power
N Tompkins to score a try
1pt 11-5 bet365

Saracens v Northampton preview

Premiership champions Saracens should be backed to begin the defence of their title with a victory by 15 points or more over Northampton at Allianz Park.

Both teams are without their World Cup players and have injuries so although recent league trends favour Sarries, they can't be taken as certainties.

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Saracens have not lost at home for 18 months, they have won the first game of the campaign six years on the spin while the Saints have lost the last four, and they have won each of the sides' last six meetings, scoring 36 points or more on the last four occasions.

That reads well even if this is a much-changed Sarries team, and the men in black can still call upon internationals Alex Lozowski, Alex Goode, Ben Spencer, Titi Lamositele, Will Skelton and Nick Isiekwe as well as senior pros such as Jackson Wray, Calum Clark, Alex Lewington and Richie Barrington.

Saracens also prevailed 54-28 a fortnight ago in the Premiership Cup at Franklin's Gardens.

For exclusive Rugby World Cup tips, team breakdowns, betting guides, results and more visit racingpost.com/rugby-world-cup

There was no shame for either side in being turned over by Sale in the cup as Sharks head coach Steve Diamond signalled early in pre-season that he was targeting the competition. Sarries have also beaten Wasps and Harlequins in the last month to claim the best runners-up spot in the cup semi-finals next year, whereas the East Midlanders lost to Wasps.

And even though they won last week's derby at Welford Road, Northampton admitted they were scrappy and ill-disciplined for long periods and the Tigers scored four tries.

Sarries inside centre Nick Tompkins is worth an anytime tryscorer wager. He grabbed a hat-trick at the Gardens two weeks ago and crossed the whitewash too when Sarries won March's Allianz Park league meeting 36-17.

Elsewhere in the Premiership, Harlequins get a 12-point start at Exeter, Leicester get a seven-point start at Worcester and Gloucester get a six-point start at Sale.

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