Danny Rose says he will be treating his meeting with the Cobblers at Fratton Park this Saturday as ‘any other game’.

The former Town midfielder played a key role in the second half of Sky Bet League Two title-winning campaign of 2016, even though he only made 15 appearances after signing from Oxford United in the January transfer window.

After helping Cobblers to the title, and seeing boss Chris Wilder leave for Sheffield United, Rose decided to leave Sixfields that summer and join Pompey.

He went on to claim a second successive league two winners’ medal with the Fratton Park club 12 months later, and is now a key member of a Portsmouth team threatening to put together a league one promotion challenge.

Rose still has a clutch of friends in the Cobblers dressing room, but he insists this weekend’s reunion is just another game, especially as he played in Pompey’s 2-0 win over Town in the Checkatrade Trophy earlier this month, having missed the league match at Sixfields in September.

“I always look forward to seeing a few familiar faces, but at the end of the day it’s treated like any other game,” said Rose, who was Portsmouth’s best player in that win over Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s team.

“We’ve played them twice already this season, so it’s nothing special and hopefully we can get the job done.

“Our home form has been really pleasing over the course over the season and we want to back that up with another win to put pressure on the teams above us.”

A big crowd is expected at Fratton Park for the visit of the Cobblers, with more than 18,500 turning out for Pompey’s 2-1 Boxing Day win over AFC Wimbledon.

Rose admits that it wasn’t the prettiest of performances against Wimbledon, but he says that at this time of the season it is all about getting the result, and that is something they intend to do against the Cobblers on Saturday.

“It wasn’t a spectacle for the fans to watch in terms of free-flowing football,” said Rose, who scored one goal while at the Cobblers, the winner in a 1-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers at Sixfields.

“We tried to get the ball down and play when we could and I certainly thought we were able to do that in spells.

“But ultimately it was about getting back to winning ways after the disappointment of losing at Shrewsbury a few days earlier.

“We’re well drilled and organised. A lot of work goes on at the training ground to make sure we all know our shape.

“Being organised, resolute and keeping clean sheets – which we’ve done quite a lot recently – gives you a solid base to build on.”

Boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes the Cobblers’ issues with inconsistency is a ‘psychological’ problem.

Town travel to in-form Portsmouth on Saturday aiming to shrug off their disappointing 3-0 defeat at Doncaster Rovers on Boxing Day.

That result followed encouraging performances in the previous two games, with Walsall being beaten and Blackburn being held to a Sixfields draw on Saturday.

But plenty of old bad habits resurfaced at the Keepmoat Stadium, and Hasselbaink said: “I think it’s a psychological thing and a mind thing.

“We need to stop thinking that we are already there, we need to keep on working and keep on improving.

“Even though we have played really well against two good sides, that’s forgotten about and you have to start all over again and we didn’t on Tuesday.

“We have retained the ball a lot better. I felt like we were always under pressure and always wanted to pass with the first touch.

“Take your time, at times you have more time than you think and you can use two or three touches instead of one touch and that was the difference.”

One area where the Cobblers have some unwelcome consistency is their results on the road.

Town have lost their past five away games in all competitions, and have conceded eight goals in the past two, which saw them hammered at 5-1 at Oldham Athletic and 3-0 at Doncaster.

They last avoided defeat away from Sixfields when they saw off Oxford United 2-1 back on November 11, and Hasselbaink feels that performance proves that the team’s problems on the road are something that can be rectified.

“We’ve shown in some matches away from home,” said the Town boss. “We had a spell where we were actually better away than we were at home.

“On Tuesday at Doncaster, I don’t know what happened and I will have to look back at the video and have a think but before the match I thought we were fired up.

“We gave them a little bit too much respect.”

For the testing looking trip to Fratton Park, the Cobblers will at least be boosted by the return of midfielder Matt Crooks, who has now served his two-match suspension.

But Town are still likely to be without central defenders Aaron Pierre and Leon Barnett through injury, while Daniel Powell, Aaron Phillips and Alex Revell are all set to miss out.

More than 400 weapons have been taken off the streets in Northamptonshire this year - including 37 shotguns.

A Freedom of Information request by this newspaper revealed police have seized more than a weapon a day from people or at scenes of crimes.

A total of 429 weapons were recovered by the force for the year to November 13.

Supt Chris Hillery, head of local policing, said: “Our proactive team has been working hard as part of Operation Fastnet, launched this year, to seize weapons and ensure those carrying them illegally are brought to justice.

“While this has led to an increase in weapons offences figures, it also means that more weapons are being detected and taken away from those who could use them to cause harm.

“We also took part in the firearms surrender co-ordinated by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service which saw over 70 guns handed into police.”

A total of 37 shotguns, 22 rifles, five revolvers, 18 pistols and 11 weapons that were classed as a gun were seized this year.

In addition, 332 other items which were classed as a weapon were also seized.

Items that have been seized as a weapon include a knife, Stanley knife, hammer, screwdriver, knuckle duster, an old-style mace and an axe.

Supt Hillery added: “We take weapons offences very seriously in Northamptonshire so will continue to use intelligence and proactive investigation work to identify and bring to justice anyone involved in weapons offences.

“I would also encourage people to report those carrying weapons to Northamptonshire Police on 101 or in an emergency, 999.

“Alternatively, the public can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

New government statistics have revealed there were 300 excess winter deaths recorded in Northamptonshire during 2015/16, with provisional data suggesting the figures for last winter (2016/17) could be even higher.

Unconfirmed statistics f show a significant rise in winter deaths across the region in 2016/17 with 3,200 recorded in the East Midlands - the second highest level for five years.

It means the full figures for Northamptonshire could be considerably more when the verified data is released next year.

Excess winter deaths are defined as the difference between the number of deaths in the winter months - December until March - compared with the previous and following three months.

Trade body The Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) believes Northamptonshire's many rural areas could account for the spike as homes there tend to be "older with poorer insulation."

OFTEC's Malcolm Farrow said: “The government’s statistics reveal that, once again, a shockingly high number of people have died unnecessarily. There is clearly still much more to do to ensure the most vulnerable in society are kept warm and well during the winter months.

“Christmas is an expensive time of year and many struggling families may turn their heating down to save money – even though this can put their health at risk."

OFTEC has developed a guide called ‘Keeping Warm this Winter’, which can be downloaded from the OFTEC website,

It recommends:

· Keeping the main living room heated to a temperature of at least 21 degrees.

· Adjusting the timers on your thermostat as the weather changes.

· Bleeding your radiators to ensure the heating system is running efficiently.

· Turning off radiators in rooms you are not using to save money.

OFTEC is the trade and marketing body for the oil fired heating and cooking industry in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. To see the booklet, head to www.oftec.co.uk.

Alan Dickens believes the big stage can bring the best out of Saints on Saturday.

Harlequins will provide the opposition in Big Game 10, which is set to be played in front of more than 70,000 fans at Twickenham.

Saints go into the match on the back of 12 defeats from their past 13 games in all competitions, including six successive Aviva Premiership losses.

But Dickens feels the final game of 2017 can help his team turn the tide.

"It's always a good ground to go and play at," said the interim head coach.

"It's an experience we've gone through (when Saints beat Harlequins 30-25 at Twickenham) in 2014 and it's a great occasion.

"Not only is it at Twickenham, but it's the first game on terrestrial TV.

"I'm sure it's a game the boys will relish being involved in."

Harlequins have also endured some tough times of late, losing five of their past six matches in all competition.

They currently sit ninth in the Premiership standings, one place and three points above Saints.

And Dickens, who gave his players Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day off, said: "They've shown glimpses of really good performances, like when they beat Saracens at home.

"They're a team similar to us in terms of the fact they're probably frustrated in how they've performed.

"We need to go to Twickenham, put in a performance and get the result we've worked so hard for."

Cobblers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink admits he is facing something of a catch-22 situation regarding the fitness of John-Joe O’Toole and the rest and game-time the player needs.

The 29-year-old has proven himself to be the key man in the Town squad, with the team’s results and performances improving significantly when he is involved.

Unfortunately for Hasselbaink, he has been starved of the player’s services for long spells of this season, with the midfielder first recovering from a groin operation, and then suffering a couple of ankle injuries.

The former Bristol Rovers man is currently playing through the pain barrier, as he is suffering with a bruised ankle that Hasselbaink conceded is causing the player problems.

But the conundrum the Town boss faces is that he needs the player out on the pitch, and not just because of the impact he has on the team, but also because O’Toole needs game time to build up his fitness and sharpness.

He has made just 12 appearances this campaign, having endured a disrupted pre-season due to his groin problems.

O’Toole started in the pre-Christmas matches against Walsall and Blackburn Rovers, and was selected again in the Boxing Day defeat at Doncaster.

But like the majority if his team-mates he struggled and was taken off after 56 minutes, but Hasselbaink admits he is set to be utilised again this Saturday as the Cobblers travel to Portsmouth for a crucial Sky Bet League One clash.

“John-Joe is always going to be a risk to play him Saturday, Tuesday and Saturday but at the moment we need him,” said the Cobblers boss.

“Is he fully fit? No. He’s still playing with pain but we need John-Joe because he gives us that presence.

“Was he the John-Joe we wanted to see on Tuesday? No, by far.

“But if I didn’t play him, I’ll be asked why he’s not playing so it’s one of those things.

“With John-Joe we are a stronger side and looking back I stick by that decision, I would have done that especially with how we were in the last two games and how important he was.”

And he went on to explain how fit the player currently is.

“I’m not saying he is 80 per cent fit at the moment, I’m just saying he is playing with pain,” said Hasselbaink .

“And let’s not forget he’s coming back from a big groin injury and then he had an ankle problem.

“So in terms of match fitness he’s not where he can be but you only get match fit by playing matches and he’s going to have these kind of matches. John-Joe is a very important player for this team.”

Assistant boss Joe Gallen says Portsmouth are out for revenge when they take on the Cobblers at Fratton Park on Saturday.

The two sides clash in Sky Bet League One (ko 3pm), with Town’s 3-1 win when they previously met at Sixfields in September still fresh in the minds of the Pompey squad.

The Cobblers have already been to Fratton Park this month, going down 2-0 in a Checkatrade Trophy second round match, but Gallen says this weekend’s game is the one Portsmouth really want to win.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s team travel to the south coast as huge underdogs, as they sit third bottom in the league one table, while Pompey are a lofty seventh.

Kenny Jackett’s men have won six of their past eight league matches, and are now level on points with sixth-placed Peterborough United as they eye a second straight promotion, following their league two title success in May.

On paper, there would appear to be only one winner, but Gallen says there will be no complacency in the Portsmouth camp, and they have the added incentive of righting what they felt was a wrong at Sixfields earlier in the campaign.

“There will be no over-confidence from us at all,” said Gallen.

“Northampton beat us in the league the last time we met, and although we did beat them in the Checkatrade Trophy and were pleased with that, we owe them from beating us in the league.

“That was a pretty disappointing evening for us, and the only way to get back at them is to beat them in the league.”

The Cobblers go to Fratton Park off the back of five straight away defeats in all competitions, conceding eight goals in their past two road trips, losing 5-1 at Oldham Athletic and 3-0 at Doncaster Rovers on Boxing Day.

But Gallen is still expecting tough resistance from the Cobblers, and he says that is something the Pompey players are having to get used to.

“It will be a tough game, a tight game, and the games do seem to form a pattern for us at home at the moment,” he said.

“The first half always seems to be pretty tight, and then in the second half things start to open up and we manage to narrowly win some games.

“It is easier for me on the side if we are 2-0 or 3-0 up and we can relax, but it just hasn’t been like that.

“I don’t think we are going to change too much, we need to keep things tight and we need to aim to keep clean sheets, but ultimately we are aiming to create more chances, and that should lead to scoring goals.

“But we will take a narrow win if that is what happens.

“I understand where Northampton are in the league, and where people see us in the league, but these teams will start fighting for their lives, to use a cliche.

“That is how it is in football, and if you do end up getting relegated then the financial implication of that for players, and on contracts etc changes.

“These teams down at the bottom will start fighting for their careers pretty soon, and it is goinng to be a tough game for us.”

A crowd of more than 18,000 is expected at the game, with Pompey set to name an unchanged squad from the one that saw off AFC Wimbledon 2-1 on Boxing Day.

The Cobblers are still waiting on the fitness of central defender Leon Barnett (Achilles), although it seems certain Aaron Pierre will miss out.

Daniel Powell (hamstring), Alex Revell (groin) and Aaron Phillips are all still likely to be sidelined.

Emotionally-charged wedding day punch-ups and funeral fracas were responsible for more than a dozen recorded crimes across Northamptonshire this year, a study by the Chronicle and Echo has found.

And on three of those occasions, the bride, groom, or partner of the deceased was identified as the suspect.

In all, police recorded crimes at five funerals and nine often alcohol-fuelled weddings across the county in 2017. On nine occasions the offence involved violence between two parties that did not result in an injury. But the crimes also included public disorder, criminal damage and worse.

At one Corby wedding an "unknown female" attacked and injured a wedding guest, but was charged with a separate offence by police.

A "family member" was accused of carrying out a sexual offence at a separate funeral in the town and a groom was even charged with violent offences at his own wedding in Kettering.

The information was uncovered by the Chron via a Freedom of Information request to Northamptonshire Police, which asked for all the crimes recorded at weddings or funerals during this year.

Though most prosecutions were dropped when victims either declined their support or officers could not gather enough evidence, on three occasions wedding guests were charged with violent crimes.

Bestselling celebrity author GP Taylor was a vicar before leaving the church a decade ago.

In his 13 years as a man of the cloth he said he witnessed some unusual sites at weddings and funerals ‐ and claimed alcohol was usually at the root of them.

“There was one incident when the service went well but once this family all left the church and moved outside, they all just started fighting,” said Mr Taylor, author of the bestselling Shadowmancer books, which have been turned into Hollywood movies.

“It got so out of control they brought a dog handler in ‐ it was absolute carnage."

Ben Foden believes Saints will be re-energised by taking a Christmas break from the 'chaos' at the club.

Foden and Co were given Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day off following last Saturday's 35-14 defeat to Exeter Chiefs at Franklin's Gardens.

It has given them a chance to recharge the batteries surrounded by friends and family before returning to training on Tuesday.

And Foden feels he and his team-mates, who have lost 12 of their past 13 matches and recently saw director of rugby Jim Mallinder depart, should feel the benefits when they take on Harlequins in Big Game 10 at Twickenham on Saturday.

"It's good to have had three days away from all the chaos that's been going on here over the past few weeks," the 32-year-old said.

"It gives us a chance to zone out, but also reflect, and hopefully we'll come back re-energised and ready to go.

"Having an event like a game at Twickenham - the first game on terrestrial TV, 70,000 people there - should give the boys the extra we need to turn our season around."

Saints have numerous players who have experienced the buzz of Twickenham before.

But Foden feels it could be those who are not as used to the big stage who shine the brightest this weekend.

"I think you need a good blend - your experienced guys who have been there and also the guys who are shaking and backed into a corner because they're the guys who do something magical, the unexpected that can win a game," Foden said.

"I was always quite chilled out as a young guy playing in games like that. I embraced it and took it on my shoulders.

"I'm looking forward to what other guys are going to bring. Harry Mallinder is playing really well at the moment, Tom Stephenson could get a chance to show the world what he's about.

"We need guys to step up because that's been something that's been missing during the past eight or nine weeks.

"We need big-game players and we've got guys who have been there and done it before, with Tom Wood, Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes.

"But we need the whole team because we know it's going to be a tough game.

"Things don't come easy but we saw some improvements against Exeter and we felt we turned the corner a bit, especially in defence, which is something we've really been poor at.

"There are still improvements to be made and if we can do that and bring the same intensity we had against Exeter and take it to Twickenham, it will be a great starting point."

Although Saints did eventually concede four tries in their defeat to Exeter last Saturday, there were fewer gaping holes in their defence.

England coach Paul Gustard played a part in that slight improvement, having been invited to take a session at the Gardens in the build-up to the Chiefs clash.

And Foden said: "It's always nice to have a new voice, something fresh.

"What Paul Gustard is about is aggression and what you build defences around is aggression and willingness to get off the line and go and hurt people.

"You need to put a shoulder in and get in a good position to make tackles and we had been far too relaxed in defence.

"We were happy to let teams keep the ball, but in defence it's an opportunity to go and make ground and go from there.

"Having someone like Gussie come in, who is world class and has brought a lot to England, and having a fresh voice noticing the faults that were wrong with our system is something we can build on and it's good foundations to have."

Boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says there is no point in anybody at the Cobblers thinking about who is going to be arriving at Sixfields or heading out of the exit door in the January transfer window.

The Cobblers are set to be busy as they try to strengthen and refresh a squad that has struggled in the first half of the Sky Bet League One season, but they still have the little matter of two very important matches before any business can be done.

Town travel to play-off chasing Portsmouth on Saturday and then host leaders Wigan Athletic on New Year’s Day, and there will be no reinforcements in place for either of those fixtures.

So it is down to the players in place to try and get results from those two tough looking encounters, and that is what Hasselbaink says he is concentrating on.

Asked about bringing players in during the window, Hasselbaink said; “It’s not important at this time.

“We need to concentrate on Portsmouth and try to get maximum points and then think about the next one. January is still far away.”

The Cobblers will travel to the south coast on the back of a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Doncaster Rovers.

It was a real downer of a performance after two encouraging home mathces against Walsall and Blackburn Rovers, but Hasselbaink believes his players will shake off the loss and will be ready for the Pompey showdown.

“It won’t be a problem to motivate, I think we will motivate ourselves and that shouldn’t be a problem,” said the Town manager.

“We’ve got some difficult matches ahead of us and we need to regroup and try to improve performances.”

The Cobblers have already played Portsmouth twice this season, winning 3-1 in the league at Sixfields in September, before losing 2-0 at Fratton Park when the teams met in the Checkatrade Trophy second round clash earlier this month.

That was a game played in something a surreal atmosphere, with just one stand open for fans and only 1,780 turning up.

A crowd closer to 19,000 is expected at the weekend, with Pompey aiming to maintain a brilliant run of form that has seen them win six of their past eight league one matches, and move up to seventh in the table, and level on points with sixth-placed Peterborough United.

They have had a mixed festive period so far, losing 2-0 at second-placed Shrewsbury Town on Saturday but then beating AFC Wimbledon 2-1 at home in front of 18,644 supporters on Boxing Day.

Boss Kenny Jackett had been targeting a maximum Cristmas and New Year points haul, and although that is now not possible, he is still hopeful it will be a positive time for Pompey.

‘As a manager, I was looking at four games in a 10 or 11-day period and 12 points to play for and saw it as a good opportunity,” he said.

“We’ve got three points out of a potential six so far, with two games to go.

“If we want to chase the top six then all of the big clubs at the top will get a good points total out of this particular period. It’s a key to the season and an opportunity.”

Saints have secured the services of experienced Australian Alan Gaffney, who will become the club's technical coaching consultant until the end of the season.

Gaffney will begin working at Franklin’s Gardens on New Year’s Day ahead of the home Aviva Premiership match against Gloucester on January 6.

The 70-year-old is one of Australia’s most experienced coaches who will bring more than two decades of professional coaching experience to Saints.

Gaffney will already be a household name to supporters of Irish rugby after spells with the Munster, Leinster, and Ireland squads between 2000 and 2011.

As backs coach of the Ireland national team and Leinster in 2009, Gaffney helped to mastermind both a Six Nations Grand Slam triumph and a Heineken Cup victory in the same year.

Since then, the Australian served as senior assistant coach at the New South Wales Waratahs from 2011 to 2013, and has been Rugby Australia’s national elite programmes coach from 2013 to present.

Saints have been in the market for both short-term and long-term options to fill the void left by director of rugby Jim Mallinder, who departed earlier this month.

And Gaffney will now oversee the existing coaching team of acting head coach Alan Dickens, forwards coach Dorian West, Phil Dowson, who will now oversee defence having previously been transition coach, and assistant coach Mark Hopley.

“We are delighted to have recruited Alan as our technical coaching consultant until the end of the season,” said Saints CEO Mark Darbon.

“Alan is hugely experienced and admired throughout the game for being a forward thinking, innovative rugby coach.

"His CV speaks for itself; he has been successful with some of the best teams in the world – including winning a Six Nations Grand Slam and Heineken Cup – and has a clear understanding of how to set-up an effective all-around rugby team.

"He also has a proven track record of developing some of the world’s best coaches and players.

“Alan will take on responsibility for the rugby department and will lead the existing coaching group made up of Alan Dickens, Dorian West, Mark Hopley and Phil Dowson.

“In parallel, the board will continue to focus on the recruitment of a permanent director of rugby to be in place for the start of the 2018/19 season.

"As I have said previously, there has been a great deal of interest in this vacancy and we hope to be able to announce this appointment in the coming months.”

After making more than 200 appearances for Sydney outfit Randwick as a player, Gaffney began his coaching career at his home club before getting his break as assistant coach at the NSW Waratahs in 1997.

During his time at Randwick, Gaffney coached current Australia boss Michael Cheika and England’s Eddie Jones – forging a relationship that saw him work as Jones’ assistant coach with the Australian national team.

From there, Gaffney moved to Saracens where he was director of rugby from 2006 to 2008, guiding the north Londoners to the Aviva Premiership play-offs for the first time ever in 2007 and their first Heineken Cup semi-final in 2008.

That appointment followed initial spells with Leinster as backs coach and then Munster as head coach from 2000 to 2005, where he won back-to-back Celtic League titles.

“I am really excited about the challenge ahead,” said Gaffney.

“Any coach would jump at the chance to work with the calibre of players Saints have.

"The squad have shown what they’re capable of earlier in the season but, for whatever reason, they have not been able to perform at that level consistently.

“I’m looking forward to working with Alan Dickens, Dorian West, Mark Hopley, Phil Dowson and the rest of the backroom staff from the start of the new year.”

George North and Stephen Myler are set to make their comeback from injury in Saturday's clash with Harlequins at Twickenham (kick-off 4pm).

North has not played since suffering a knee problem during the Champions Cup defeat to Saracens in October.

He was due to return in one of the recent matches against Ospreys, but suffered a setback.

However, he has come through training unscathed and has been named among the replacements for Big Game 10.

Myler picked up a calf injury in the home defeat to Ospreys earlier this month, but he will also be on the bench at Twickenham.

Saints have made just one change to the side that lost 35-14 at home to Exeter Chiefs last Saturday, with Tom Wood replacing Michael Paterson.

Wood comes in at blindside flanker, with Courtney Lawes reverting to the second row.

Kieran Brookes (hand), Tom Collins (foot), Alex Waller (arm), Jamie Elliott (hamstring) and Rory Hutchinson (back) are sidelined.

Harlequins have made two changes to their team following the narrow defeat to Newcastle Falcons last weekend.

Influential scrum-half Danny Care and No.8 Mat Luamanu come in for Jonno Kitto and Renaldo Bothma respectively.

Harlequins: Brown; Walker, Alofa Alofa, Roberts, Visser; Smith, Care; Marler, Ward (c), Sinckler; Merrick, Glynn; Chisholm, Robshaw, Luamanu.

Replacements: Ella, Boyce, Swainston, Matthews, Wallace, Kitto, Lang, Cheeseman.

Saints: Mallinder; Tuala, Horne, Burrell, Foden; Francis, Groom; Ma'afu, Hartley (c), Ford-Robinson; Ratuniyarawa, Lawes; Wood, Gibson, Harrison.

Replacements: Haywood, van Wyk, Hill, Paterson, Nutley, Reinach, Myler, North.

A total of 34 players will assemble on January 1 as England begin their preparations for the Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on February 4.

Courtney Lawes will not be part of the group as he misses out due to personal reasons.

Bath's 23 year-old prop Beno Obano and Newcastle Falcons' openside flanker Gary Graham have received their first call ups into the England squad.

England boss Eddie Jones said: “This camp in Brighton is important for us to set the tone as a squad ahead of the Six Nations.

"We will need to improve if we are to hunt down our opponents and beat them.

"This tournament will be exciting and challenging, as we know we will play against some very strong teams.

“Brighton will provide a great base to begin our preparations with players coming away with a clear plan for our opening match of the campaign against Italy.”

England's squad for the Six Nations will be announced on Thursday, January 18 before the squad departs for a week’s training camp in Portugal three days later.

England has won the past two tournaments, including the Grand Slam in 2016.

England training squad for Brighton camp

Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Nathan Earle (Saracens), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Piers Francis (Saints), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Forwards: Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons), Dylan Hartley (Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby), Beno Obano (Bath Rugby), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)

Fixture: Harlequins v Northampton Saints

Competition: Aviva Premiership

Venue: Twickenham, London

Date: Saturday, December 30, 2017

Kick-off time: 4pm

Television coverage: BT Sport 2 and Channel 5

Harlequins: Brown; Walker, Alofa Alofa, Roberts, Visser; Smith, Care; Marler, Ward (c), Sinckler; Merrick, Glynn; Chisholm, Robshaw, Luamanu.

Replacements: Ella, Boyce, Swainston, Matthews, Wallace, Kitto, Lang, Cheeseman.

Saints: Mallinder; Tuala, Horne, Burrell, Foden; Francis, Groom; Ma'afu, Hartley (c), Ford-Robinson; Ratuniyarawa, Lawes; Wood, Gibson, Harrison.

Replacements: Haywood, van Wyk, Hill, Paterson, Nutley, Reinach, Myler, North.

Outs: Saints: Kieran Brookes (hand), Alex Waller (arm), Tom Collins (foot), Jamie Elliott (hamstring), Rory Hutchinson (back)

Referee: JP Doyle

Most recent meeting: Saturday, September 30, 2017: Saints 30 Harlequins 22 (Aviva Premiership)

Tom's preview: When Saints beat Harlequins at Twickenham in their final game of 2014, it brought the curtain down on one of the most successful years in the club's history.

The green, black and gold had beaten almost every team put before them, claiming an Aviva Premiership and Challenge Cup double and starting the following season in style.

But when the two teams lock horns on the hallowed turf this weekend, it will be for the final time in a year that has been one of the worst for those of a Northampton persuasion.

Because since the end of 2014, things simply haven't gone to plan for Saints.

They did manage to finish top of the Aviva Premiership regular-season table in 2015, but the first half of that year always felt like something of a struggle.

And since then, things have continued in the same fashion.

So much so, that Saints, who finished fifth in 2015/16 and seventh in 2016/17, are currently closing in on or, in some people's opinions, have already reached their nadir.

They have suffered 12 defeats from their past 13 matches in what has been an alarming slump since they beat Harlequins at the end of September.

That Franklin's Gardens success was a fourth in a row for the green, black and gold, who had shot to the top of the Premiership pile.

But that early optimism was blown away as Saints were made to suffer, week in, week out towards the end of a calendar year that has been a sobering experience.

Saints have won just 14 of their 34 matches during 2017, with narrow defeats against big teams earlier in the year turning into huge losses in recent months.

There had been glimmers of hope, with the green, black and gold showing a new-found freedom in their attacking play, led by Alan Dickens.

Dickens’ work has been recognised by the fact he was the man to step up as interim head coach following Jim Mallinder’s departure earlier this month.

But attacking adventure has unfortunately come hand in hand with defensive difficulties.

Saints have shipped a whopping 117 tries in their 34 matches this year - 49 in the 17 towards the end of last season and 68 during this campaign.

Those are eye-watering statistics and something the club will have to address with coaching consultant Alan Gaffney being drafted in until the end of the season.

The 70-year-old Australian will need all of his experience to help Saints turn the tide this time round.

And how they would love to end the year with a win to start 2018 on a high.

They certainly have a chance against a Harlequins team who are also on a bad run, losing five of their past six games in all competitions.

And what better incentive is there than to do the business at Twickenham, where more than 70,000 fans are expected.

Saints will need all of their big-game experience for this battle.

Like Quins, they can call on a few England stars who have graced English rugby HQ on several occasions.

It will be interesting to see which men are able to have the biggest influence on their side's fortunes this Saturday.

Saints need it to be Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes and Tom Wood.

They need a big result, a way to put this year to bed in the best possible fashion.

Whether they can, it remains to be seen.

But one thing that is not in doubt is that whatever happens, they will be glad to see the back of 2017.

Tom's prediction: Harlequins 28 Saints 23

And the winger now believes everyone is starting to step up and take responsibility as the club looks to end its current slump.

Mallinder left prior to the Champions Cup clash at Ospreys earlier this month, with the Saints board admitting it was time for change at the top of the coaching structure.

The departure of the long-serving boss hasn't paid immediate dividends with the team, now under the interim charge of attack coach Alan Dickens, continuing its losing streak.

Saints have now suffered defeats in 11 of their past 12 matches, with last Saturday's 35-14 loss to Exeter Chiefs at Franklin's Gardens their sixth successive Aviva Premiership reverse.

But Foden saw signs of improvement during that game and he believes everyone at Saints is now working harder to turn things around.

"One of the main problems was that no one was willing to take responsibility for it, but now things have happened, we've got no choice but to take responsibility for it," said the 32-year-old, who joined Northampton from Sale Sharks in 2008.

"It's not just about one guy in the video we can point the finger at or us pointing the finger at Jim - we're all in this together.

"We're a professional outfit, we're professional players getting paid week in, week out to perform and we haven't been performing, the coaches haven't been performing off the field.

"You get lazy in terms of your conditioning, your fitness, the little skills and the finer details.

"We harp on about the little things that add to big things and as players we've got to take that on the chin.

"Sometimes you've got to look at the man in the mirror and say 'I haven't been working as hard as I could be working and making sure everything is done perfectly leading up to the games so that I'm in the best position to deliver what I'm trying to deliver'.

"I think everyone will say that throughout the whole squad - it's not just one person.

"Some players have still been performing very well: Courtney Lawes has been outstanding for us, Teimana Harrison has been outstanding for us, but you can't just rely on one or two guys picking your team up and carrying you.

"It's a team game and we need all 54 guys in the squad to buy into it, so training runs well and there's pressure on guys to perform in training.

"We want to make selection hard for coaches and show we're all hungry so that when the opportunity comes we take it.

"It will start to come back into the squad soon and the performances, points and silverware will follow after that."

Foden is particularly keen to claim silverware this season as it could be his final one at Saints.

"It's my 10th season here and there are a lot of guys out of contract," said Foden, whose current contract is due to expire in the summer. "We wanted it to be a big send-off.

"We felt our squad was strong and we looked good, topping the table at one point, but suddenly the plug comes out and you're sat in an empty bath.

"We know we've got to sharpen things up.

"There are changes being made and there's more to come, but as players, it comes onto the 23 at the weekend to perform to the best of our ability and win games.

"We've got quality players throughout the squad, a world class squad twice over, so we need to starting winning because that becomes a habit.

"In those close games, if you've got the confidence and belief that you'll win them - like the Saints of old used to have - it makes a difference and we need to get that into this team and have that fighting spirit again."

Saints endured another tortuous Twickenham experience as they shipped seven tries in a 50-21 evisceration at the hands of Harlequins.

It was the second time the green, black and gold had been humbled at English rugby HQ this season, following the 55-24 Aviva Premiership opening-day defeat to Saracens.

Just as on that occasion, Saints shipped the bonus point before the break and concede a half-century of points.

Rob Horne, Nic Groom and Mike Haywood did manage to score after half-time, but the defeat always looked inevitable once Quins took the lead.

It was another Northampton horror show to end 2017 and they have now suffered 12 defeats from their past 13 matches in all competitions.

That record includes seven successive Premiership losses and new coaching consultant Alan Gaffney, who starts work on Monday, has a huge job to do ahead of next Saturday's home game against Gloucester.

Saints had headed to Twickenham hoping a few days off over Christmas would pay dividends and, after a scruffy opening seven minutes, they seemed to have got into their stride.

A fine counter-attack led by Ahsee Tuala resulted in Luther Burrell being bundled into touch by England full-back Mike Brown.

The ball failed to bounce kindly for Burrell and Quins got a let-off which they soon made the most of as Dave Ward skipped through a gap and sidestepped Harry Mallinder to score.

Marcus Smith slotted the conversion to make it 7-0 after 12 minutes and Saints then just about escaped the concession of a second try.

Mallinder's pass was intercepted by Tim Visser, who eventually dived over the line, but Jamie Gibson had just done enough to ensure the winger's foot was in touch.

Quins did grab a further three points soon after as Smith landed a penalty and the fly-half's moment of magic quickly helped to set up another score.

Smith chipped the ball over Saints' defence and after some tidy handling from the home team, Jamie Roberts offloaded to Charlie Walker for an eye-catching score.

Smith added the extras and it was already turning into another chastening day for Saints, who were wondering where to turn as Quins, who had lost five of their past six matches in all competitions, ran riot.

It was to get even worse on 21 minutes as Visser ran in unopposed out wide and Smith again converted, taking the score to 24-0 and prompting flashbacks of the Sarries defeat.

Saints were then forced into an early change as Tuala hobbled off and George North made his return from a knee injury after more than two months out.

North took a knock during his first involvement but fought on, which was not the case for his team-mates as they shipped the bonus-point try seven minutes before the break.

Danny Care was the man to score as he cruised over close to the posts, almost looking embarrassed to have bagged his team's fourth try so early.

Smith again applied salt to the gaping wounds with the conversion and Saints suffered another injury blow before the break as Piers Francis clashed heads with Roberts.

That brought Stephen Myler into the action as he made his return from a calf injury, but Saints headed in 31-0 down at half-time with few signs of a comeback from the away side.

And the second half was to continue in the same manner as a floated pass was misjudged by Mallinder, and Visser again walked the ball over the try line.

Smith missed the conversion and Saints finally exerted a little pressure, forcing James Chisholm into the sin bin for offside as he knocked the ball on close to his own line.

Saints took immediate advantage as Api Ratuniyarawa dropped the ball and it fell kindly for Horne, who picked up to score.

Myler converted and Saints soon scored again as scrum-half Groom spotted a small gap and scored.

Myler's conversion cut the gap to 22 points with 25 minutes remaining, but Quins soon extinguished any sort of Saints hope.

Ben Foden struggled to deal with the bouncing ball and after Quins worked hard to regain possession, Care dived over for his second try.

Smith converted and Saints were to suffer the ignominy of shipping a half-century again as Mat Luamanu powered over and Smith slotted the conversion again.

There was still 10 minutes to go and time for hooker Haywood to cement his status as Saints' top scorer as he dotted down.

Myler again converted to take Saints up to 21 points, but it was far too little, far too late as Saints were left to reflect on another sizeable defeat.

Harlequins: Brown; Walker, Alofa Alofa (Cheeseman 64), Roberts, Visser (Lang 72); Smith, Care (Kitto 64); Marler (Boyce 60), Ward (c), Sinckler (Swainston 65); Merrick (Matthews 60), Glynn; Chisholm, Robshaw (Wallace 75), Luamanu.

Saints: Mallinder; Tuala (North 25 (Reinach 64)), Horne, Burrell, Foden; Francis (Myler 38), Groom; Ma'afu (Van Wyk 64), Hartley (c) (Haywood 59), Ford-Robinson; Ratuniyarawa (Paterson 64), Lawes; Wood, Gibson, Harrison (Nutley 59).

Referee: JP Doyle

Attendance: 77,825

Interim head coach Alan Dickens insists a lack of confidence rather than a lack of effort is to blame for Saints' current shortcomings after the 50-21 defeat to Harlequins.

The green, black and gold were tormented for the second time in as many visits to Twickenham this season as they shipped seven tries.

They had lost 55-24 to Saracens at English rugby HQ on the opening day of the Aviva Premiership season and in the final game of the calendar year, there were similar scenes.

Saints were pulled apart by a Harlequins team who had won just one of their past six games in all competitions.

And when asked about his team's display and desire, Dickens said: "I can't ask any more from them in the training week.

"The players work very, very hard, week in, week out.

"In the game, I put it down to confidence. They score a couple of tries and our heads go down.

"I've been asked about the formula and what we need to do, but to get the confidence we need to win and then we can kick on."

Saints have now suffered 12 defeats in their past 13 games in all competitions, losing seven successive league matches.

And Dickens said: "It's tough to watch.

"It's the second time we've come here this season and the game's gone by half-time.

"We lost the first half 31-0. The second half was 21-19 to us, but it was too little, too late.

"Against Exeter, I saw some steps forward, especially in terms of intensity, but this week was a backward step."

When asked for his message to the Saints supporters who travelled to Twickenham to watch their team, Dickens said: "I'm as disappointed as they are.

"I feel for them and it's not through lack of effort."

Cobblers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink admits he faces a challenge to lift his side’s ‘fragile confidence’ ahead of New Year Day’s visit of Sky Bet League One leaders Wigan Athletic.

Northampton have conceded three goals in each of their last two games, losing 3-0 at Doncaster and 3-1 at Portsmouth, and now face a huge task to overcome table-topping Latics in their first game of 2018.

Town will be hoping to repeat their efforts from the last game at Sixfields when they stopped in-form Blackburn Rovers, who were in similarly rip-roaring form at the time, in their tracks with a 1-1 draw, and their lowly league position, 22nd and five points from safety, means time is of the essence and every point is vital.

Wigan, currently two points clear at the top having been relegated from the Championship last term, smashed seven past Oxford United just nine days ago but have since been held to successive goalless draws at home by Shrewsbury and Charlton.

“Let’s hope it’s a good time to play them,” said Hasselbaink. “We have to lift the players and I will need the crowd to do that as well.

“It won’t be an easy match but if our 12th man is there then we will have a better chance. It won’t be easy but we’re definitely going to do our best.

“Confidence is fragile and we need to regroup. We’ll get together and try to get the confidence back up. Something needs to go for us but that doesn’t mean you don’t stop.

“You need to keep on going and find your own luck. You need to keep on working hard and keep doing the right things and then it will change, but at the moment things are going against us.

“We look to pick up points everywhere. At the moment it’s better for us to play at home and to see our fans and to give it a go.

“Saturday was disappointing. We started ever so well and we wanted to get the three points there but it wasn’t meant to be.”

The Cobblers are expected to make several additions to their squad soon after the transfer window opens but Hasselbaink again refused to be drawn into transfer talk , instead placing all of his focus on the visit of Wigan.

“Look, let’s just concentrate on Wigan,” he stressed. “We want to do well against them and try to get some more points on the board and hopefully we’ll do that.

“What happens after, happens after, but let’s concentrate on the most important thing and that is Wigan.

“Obviously we have made our plans but that’s irrelevant at the moment because we still have a match to play and it’s a very important match.

“We wouldn’t be doing our job properly if we didn’t have a plan but we’ve got to concentrate on Wigan and then after that you can ask me questions.”

The copy and paste function has become a rather useful tool while covering the Cobblers this season and once again it came in handy on this grim Saturday afternoon on the south coast after another performance and result that, on the final outing of 2017, was in keeping with their year as a whole.

The only change on this occasion was that Northampton at least decided to make a game of it for 40 minutes, even leading through a slick breakaway goal, otherwise the same negative adjectives that have been used to describe previous efforts against the likes of Doncaster and Oldham apply again as they served up another dose of disappointment for their increasingly exasperated fan base.

From 1-0 up to 3-1 down in barely no time at all, there was a small period of this game that perfectly encapsulated Northampton’s season as a whole and demonstrated why they face an almighty battle to avoid a return to League Two.

The Cobblers have made a habit of turning potential encouragement into alarming setbacks and they did so again in an eight-minute period here. Leading 1-0 on 41 minutes through Chris Long, and having more than matched Portsmouth, one goal was all it took for the wheels to come off.

Matty Kennedy’s fine one-two and finish brought Pompey level and then Oliver Hawkins, who utilised his strength and height to torment Town’s back four all game, Regan Poole in particular, somehow evaded his markers to exquisitely nod Christian Burgess’ hopeful long ball over Matt Ingram and into the same bottom corner that Kennedy had just found.

Anyone who is familiar with Town’s campaign does not need to be told what happened next. Not able to mount any kind of response, Pompey proceeded to dominate and Hawkins’ second should have been the first of at least three second-half goals. As it turned out, wayward finishing and Ingram’s reflexes limited the damage to three.

From being right in the game to trying to prevent another hammering in double quick time, the Cobblers did not have the confidence – nor the leadership or character – to respond once they suffered a setback. It’s a familiar tale this season.

They have fallen a long way since their last league game at Fratton Park. It was only 18 months ago when they crowned the most glorious of seasons with a polished and deserved 2-1 win over Portsmouth, and now at the same place against the same opposition, they were abject in a defeat that leaves them odds-on favourites to undo all of Chris Wilder’s good work and return to League Two only two seasons later.

The other real concern for the rest of the season is that Northampton remain such an easy team to play against when behind. They often hold their own when ahead or on level terms but, the moment they go behind, they do not possess the quality going forward to sustain attacks and their attempts to do so leave them vulnerable at the other end.

From being rigid and organised, the need for Town to show more attacking adventure in trying to get back into games only results in the other team dominating even more and creating a shedload of chances, as demonstrated by Portsmouth on Saturday and Doncaster four days earlier.

Pompey cut apart their visitors with remarkable ease in the second-half, goalkeeper Ingram forced into at least five saves while Pompey also cracked the crossbar and hit the side-netting with presentable opportunities.

Only Bury have scored fewer goals than Northampton and only Oldham have conceded more, but those defensive problems are directly linked to their attacking woes because it’s that aforementioned inability to sustain attacks and apply prolonged periods of pressure on opposition teams which subsequently means their defence is under constant strain and eventually wilts.

The absence of a tough-tackling, ball-winning midfielder was also apparent on Saturday. At times it seemed like John-Joe O’Toole was the only man capable of putting in a tackle, and while Matt Grimes and Matt Crooks evidently have plenty of talent, it’s doubtful that they can thrive as a combination in central midfield.

Both are good on the ball and both will work hard but neither are the sort of in-your-face, rough-you-up midfielder that the Cobblers are crying out for. At the moment, it’s all too easy for the opponents to keep possession and build attacks, again putting Town’s defence under relentless strain.

It would be easy to blame their poor defensive record on the defence alone, and it’s true that neither the back four nor goalkeeper Matt Ingram – despite making a string of second-half saves – had an especially good game at Fratton Park, but they receive so little protection from those in front, particularly the full-backs, that you cannot hold them solely responsible for leaking so many goals. It’s a collective effort and something Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink must rectify with positive signings in January. The best form of defence, as they say, is attack, something which Town do so little of.

The doom and gloom surrounding Northampton’s season will only increase with this defeat and it’s unlikely to improve on Monday when league leaders Wigan Athletic, unbeaten in nine, come to Sixfields.

The thing is, though, it can all change so quickly. A couple of exciting signings over the next few days coupled with a good win and a good performance would transform the atmosphere. The problem, of course, is achieving that.

How they rated...

Matt Ingram - Stuck out an early right boot to thwart Hawkins when one-on-one but was caught in no man’s land later in the half. Made a string of second-half saves to keep the scoreline respectable... 6

Brendan Moloney - Failed to stem the supply from Portsmouth’s left, and in particular from Kennedy who tricked and teased Town’s right-back all afternoon, cutting inside for the equaliser and also playing a part in the third... 5

Regan Poole - Endured a torrid afternoon. Looks a little too rash to be playing centre-back at this level. Tried and failed to step in front of his man and intercept on numerous occasions, and found Hawkins’ physical presence too much to handle throughout... 4

Ash Taylor - Pompey’s crossing tactic should have played to his strength but instead they won far too many free headers in Town’s box, both from open play and set-pieces, a couple of which led to goals and others might have done too had it not been for Ingram... 5

David Buchanan - Mismatch at the back post gave him little chance of stopping Hawkins from effectively ending the game, and he hardly featured in an attacking sense due to Portsmouth’s dominance... 5

Matt Grimes - He’s a good player but doesn’t show it often enough. Too many days where he floats around and lets the game pass him by. Any flashes of promise, such as his role in the opener here, are too few and far between. Probably needs a tough-tackling, ball-winning player next to him to really thrive... 5

Matt Crooks - See above. Clearly has talent but that talent has only been produced in glimpses, which encapsulates the team in general. Did at least win the tackle to set Town on their way for Long’s opener but that was about it... 5

Lewis McGugan - Wonderfully exquisite through pass released Long for Town’s opening goal. Worked hard on the left side and was the most likely to make something happen but he rarely got into the position to do so... 6

Sam Hoskins - Embarked on a couple of bursting runs forward but there was no end product once he reached the final third, not that he was aided by the referee’s failure to spot at least two obvious fouls on him. Still working his way back to full fitness... 5

John-Joe O’Toole - Was up for the battle and at times seemed the only Northampton player capable of making a tackle. But his frustrations with how the game was unfolding grew and almost boiled over before wisely being withdrawn... 6

Chris Long - Assured run and finish took his goal tally to six for the season but his decision to goad the home fans with his celebration was unwise as his every touch thereafter was met by boos. Remains by far Town’s most likely man to put the ball in the net... 6

Substitutes

Sam Foley - 6

Daniel Powell - 6

Marc Richards - 6

Fizzy drinks really are fuelling the obesity epidemic - among both children and adults, according to new research.

A review of 30 studies involving almost a quarter of a million people found almost all found a link between piling on the pounds and the ‘empty calories’ in the beverages.

The findings come a few months before the Government’s ‘sugar tax’ comes into force.

Britain has been dubbed the ‘Fat Man of Europe’ with more than a quarter of adults obese and over a third overweight.

One in three children are overweight hy the time they leave primary school, and fifth obese.

The study, published in the journal Obesity Facts, found consumption of fizzy drinks is a major factor. It said countries that have not already done so should take action to reduce their popularity.

Britain is actually leading the way in Europe. The March 2016 Budget surprise was a new levy that will add 6p to a can of Fanta or Sprite, and 8p to a can of Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

Dr Nathalie Farpour-Lambert, of University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland, said: “The evidence base linking SSBs with obesity and overweight in children and adults has grown substantially in the past three years.

“We were able to include 30 new studies not sponsored by the industry in this review, an average of 10 per year. This compares with a previous review that included 32 studies across the period 1990-2012.”

She added: “This new, more recent evidence suggests that SSB consumption is positively associated with obesity in children.

“By combining the already published evidence with this new research, we conclude something that in many ways should already be obvious: public health policies should aim to reduce the consumption of SSBs and encourage healthy alternatives such as water.

“Yet to date, actions to reduce SSB consumption in many countries are limited or non-existent.”

Of the 30 studies included - 20 in children and 10 in adults - almost all (93%) connected fizzy drinks with overweight and obesity.

Just two, one in children and the other in adults, showed no association. The latter that randomised individuals to replace them with water and receive education counselling or have counselling only, still found the intervention led to more weight lost. But the result was just outside statistical significance.

A total of 244,651 study participants were included in the studies with 33 percent carried out in Europe, 23 percent in the US, 17 percent in Middle or South America, 10 percent in Australia, seven percent in South Africa and the remaining 10 percent in Iran, Thailand and Japan.

The researchers said it is almost impossible to conclude with absolute certainty a direct cause-and-effect relationship between fizzy drinks and overweight and obesity.

But Dr Farpour-Lambert, president elect of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) which publishes the journal, said: “Associations between SSBs and body weight measures might be affected by other diet and lifestyle factors.

“But the majority of the prospective cohort studies adjusted for these possible confounding factors including several nutrition and lifestyle factors, and for all, except for one study, a positive association between SSB consumption and overweight/obesity was found. This suggests an independent effect of SSBs.”

Dr Maira Bes-Rastrollo, of the University of Navarra, Spain, said: “Numerous countries across the world have high levels of SSB consumption, and even those with low intakes are observing sharp increases.

“Therefore, the combined evidence published before and after 2013 confirming SSBs have adverse effects on body weight gain or obesity in children and adults provides a rationale for urgent policy action.”

The authors point to the success of higher taxes on SSBs in Mexico, where sales have fallen by 12 percent, most sharply in the poorest parts of the population where they have plunged 17 percent.

Added Dr Bes-Rastrollo: “Various countries have now established and implemented approaches focusing on the reduction of SSB intake by limiting its availability, increasing market price, raising public awareness through education programs via the media or at school, introducing tax policies, and improving labelling.”

A report from Euromonitor International indicates that to date, 19 countries have so far introduced taxes on food and drinks and that more aim to do so in the near future.

The target is to reduce sugar consumption by 20 percent in accordance with the World Health Organisation guidelines.

The researchers say new and innovative strategies are needed to reduce fizzy drink consumption.

Dr Farpour-Lambert said: “There is no doubt that we can reduce the consumption and impact of SSBs, but we need both the political will and the cooperation of the beverages industry to achieve it.

“One successful and feasible example of a gradual reduction strategy is the UK salt reduction program.

“The food industry has gradually decreased the quantity of salt added to processed food over the past decade. In this program, incremental salt reduction targets were set with a clear timeframe for the food industry to reach them.”