Phil Dowson has named his Northampton Saints side to travel to Union Bordeaux-Bégles this Sunday (11 January, kick-off: 3.15pm UK / 4.15pm local time), as the Investec Champions Cup picks back up in Round 3. 

The clash at Stade Jacques Chaban-Delmas sees Saints and Bordeaux lock horns for the first time since last season’s Final, where an all-action match saw two tries from Alex Coles and ten points from Fin Smith’s boot keep Saints in the fight despite early injury woes.

But Bordeaux crossed the whitewash four times at the Principality Stadium, and ultimately took the spoils away from Cardiff in the Champions Cup’s 25th edition. 

This term, Northampton top Pool 4 after two rounds – having defeated Section Paloise (27-35) on French soil before downing Vodacom Bulls (50-5) at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens last time out in the competition. 

And Dowson makes five changes to the side that defeated Harlequins 66-21 last weekend, with Craig Wright, Trevor Davison, Henry Pollock, Rory Hutchinson and Ollie Sleightholme all coming into the starting XV for the clash. 

Danilo Fischetti is the only remaining face in Saints’ front row, as he stays on at loosehead prop in France, with fellow prop Davison starting at tighthead while hooker Wright – who signed on again with the Club earlier this week – completes the front row. 

Dowson names an unchanged second row in Bordeaux, with last weekend’s man-of-the-match Alex Coles partnering JJ Van Der Mescht in the engine room for the eighth time this term. 

Callum Chick captains Northampton in Round 3, shifting to blindside flanker for this weekend’s clash to allow incoming British & Irish Lion Pollock to start at No.8 while England international Tom Pearson stays on at openside flanker.

Lions half-back pairing Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith start at scrum-half and fly-half respectively in Bordeaux, with Scotland’s Rory Hutchinson and Saints’ fourth Lion, Tommy Freeman, starting outside them in the centres. 

Sleightholme’s return to the starting XV allows George Hendy to shift into fullback this weekend, while Edoardo Todaro – who scored one of Saints’ ten tries against Quins – completes the back three. 

Dowson opts for a six-two bench against Bordeaux, with the likes of Emmanuel Iyogun, Elliot Millar Mills, Chunya Munga and Sam Graham named as forwards replacements, while Archie McParland and James Ramm provide the backs cover. 

UNION BORDEAUX-BÉGLES vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Investec Champions Cup, Round 3
Sunday 11 January, 2026
Stade Jacques Chaban-Delmas
Kick-off: 3.15pm UK / 4.15pm local time

15 George Hendy
14 Ollie Sleightholme
13 Tommy Freeman
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Edoardo Todaro
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell

1 Danilo Fischetti
2 Craig Wright
3 Trevor Davison
4 Alex Coles
5 JJ Van Der Mescht
6 Callum Chick (c)
7 Tom Pearson
8 Henry Pollock

Replacements:
16 Robbie Smith
17 Emmanuel Iyogun
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Ed Prowse
20 Chunya Munga
21 Sam Graham
22 Archie McParland
23 James Ramm

Not considered for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Anthony Belleau, Fraser Dingwall, George Furbank, Will Glister, Josh Kemeny, Curtis Langdon, Tom Litchfield, Tom Lockett, Charlie Ulcoq, and Tom West.

BORDEAUX TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Salesi Rayasi, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Nicolas Deportere, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Martin Page-Relo; 1 Jefferson Poirot, 2 Maxime Lamothe (c), 3 Carlü Sadie, 4 Adam Coleman, 5 Cyril Cazeaux, 6 Jean-Luc Du Preez, 7 Cameron Woki, 8 Temo Matiu. 
Replacements: 16 GAËTAN Barlot, 17 Matis Perchaud, 18 Benjamin Tameifuna, 19 Boris Palu, 20 Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, 21 Arthur Retière, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Rohan Janse Van Rensburg. 

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (ITA)
Assistant referees: Robbie Jenkinson and Padraic Reidy (IRE)
No.4: Adrien Marbot (FRA)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRE)