England scrum-half Natasha Hunt insists Northampton Saints are serious contenders to win the Investec Champions Cup, despite a mixed start to their Premiership defence.

The Saints marched to their first English title in a decade last summer but have suffered a major dip in form at the beginning of this year.

Four defeats from their first seven league games, including a 25-17 home loss to Gloucester on Saturday, have left them eighth in the table ahead of a crucial first fortnight of European action.

Saints have the chance to refocus with the visit of Castres on Saturday, when Mo Hunt will be behind the mic as part of Premier Sports’ live coverage of every game in the Investec Champions Cup.

“You never know what is going to happen in Europe,” she said. “Form doesn’t really matter, it is all about the game in front of you.  

“We will expect a reaction from Northampton off the back of Saturday. I am very excited to see what is in store, I am expecting a lot of running rugby. 

“It is so important to focus on the game at hand but when there is a table being posted every week, it is difficult not to get carried away in that. 

“To start a new competition and fight for a new trophy when you haven’t had the best run is really exciting as a player, it allows you to refocus and go after it.  

“I am sure we will see a reaction, I am sure we will see a completely different Saints, full of confidence and just throwing the ball about like we did last year because that is where they get their results.” 

As a scrum-half, Hunt is full of admiration for the skills in the Saints backline, even though they have not yet clicked into gear. They scored the fourth-fewest points in the Premiership so far, whereas last season they had the second most.

She added: “The rugby they play is so exciting, there is just constant movement, constant options. People at the line and good decisions being made all the time.  

“To be able to have that many options and with a scrum-half like Alex Mitchell who is now back in the fold and running the show and being able to get a running game into it is super exciting.  

“I would absolutely relish playing in a backline like that.” 

Other stand-out Round 1 fixtures include Bath’s home clash with La Rochelle on Friday and Bristol Bears’ home game with Irish giants Leinster on Sunday, while England fans will be eager to see fly-half Marcus Smith take on the might of Racing 92 as they host Harlequins. 

Premier Sports will show all of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup for the first time and Hunt believes they will have something for the rugby purist and the new fan alike. 

“Hopefully, it will bring the excitement of the competitions,” she said. “There will be a lot of insight into what the players are thinking. 

“How are they getting about, why are they doing the different plays they are doing and a bit of analytical work too, looking into the nuances which is hopefully helpful to the people who are new to the sport and then just a lot of excitement.  

“People should expect a lot of different styles of play across Europe going at it each other, but a lot of people that want to have ball in hands and play running rugby.” 

Rugby on another level - Premier Sports is the new home of Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup with 80 games live throughout the competition. Premier Sports is available in the UK from £10.99 a month and is available on Sky, Virgin and Amazon Prime. Premier Sports also streams online via dedicated apps on a wide range of devices and platforms. Visit: www.premiersports.tv to sign-up.