Speaking exclusively to the Champions Rugby Show, the two-team European Rugby Challenge Cup winner believes a quick opening is the only way for Northampton to halt the Chiefs’ bandwagon after their six wins from seven games since lockdown.

“You’ve got to play them a little bit at their own game really,” said Dickson, who played 61 of his 73 European games for Saints. “You’ve got to try and keep hold of the ball as long as possible.

“Every time I played against them, we started really well and got on the scoreboard. We then made them play a wide game and they can play a wide game, but it’s such a difficult game to play wide, wide all the time. If they’ve got to play wide, people like Rory Hutchinson can get interceptions.

“If you start fast against them and you front up, it’s going to be one hell of a game. If you don’t, it’s going to be a long haul.”

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Former Northampton Saints scrum-half Lee Dickson believes his old club need to make a “fast start” if they are to upset runaway Gallagher Premiership leaders Exeter Chiefs in Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final at Sandy Park.