Iyogun brings up Saints century in PREM play-off

June 11, 2026
180
Ultimate Rugby

Emmanuel Iyogun will bring up his 100th appearance in a Northampton Saints shirt this Friday, as the men in Black, Green and Gold face Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher PREM Play-Offs.

The loosehead prop reaches the milestone after seven seasons as a Saint, having debuted at the age of just 19 back in 2020. From there Iyogun has gone from strength to strength and is set to make his 24th appearance of the 2025/26 campaign on Friday.

Saints will welcome Tigers under the lights at a sold-out cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens for their thirteenth appearance in the final four of the PREM, facing Leicester in the Play-Offs on home soil for the first time since their 2014 triumph – where Tom Wood’s dramatic late score sealed Northampton’s maiden appearance in the Final.

When the sides clashed at cinch Stadium earlier this term, Saints ran out 32-26 victors, but with Tigers reclaiming the East Midlands bragging rights last month, Northampton will hope to rectify that result and reach their first PREM Final since lifting the trophy in 2024.

Centurion Iyogun is joined in Saints’ front row by hooker Curtis Langdon and prop Elliot Millar Mills for the visit of Leicester, while Alex Coles and Ed Prowse partner in Northampton’s engine room behind them.

Josh Kemeny – who picked up the PREM Try of the Season award at last night’s awards ceremony – runs out alongside England duo Tom Pearson and Henry Pollock in the back row for the Play-Off clash.

Saints return to the in-form half-back pairing of Archie McParland and Fin Smith – with the latter holding the league record for try assists (13), helping Northampton to a record-breaking 104 tries so far this term with an average of 5.8 tries a game.

Rory Hutchinson comes back into the starting line-up this week to join Tom Litchfield in Saints’ midfield, while wingers George Hendy and Tommy Freeman and fullback George Furbank reprise their roles in the back three to complete the starting XV.

Northampton opt for a six-two bench against Leicester, with Danilo Fischetti, JJ Van Der Mescht, Tom Lockett and Callum Chick among those forming Saints’ forwards replacements, while scrum-half Jonny Weimann and centre Fraser Dingwall provide the backs cover.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs LEICESTER TIGERS

Gallagher PREM Play-Off

Friday 12 June, 2026

cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens

Kick-off: 7.45pm

15 George Furbank (c)

14 Tommy Freeman

13 Tom Litchfield

12 Rory Hutchinson

11 George Hendy

10 Fin Smith

9 Archie McParland