Calum Clark is targeting Saints’ game at London Welsh on April 14 as he bids to make his comeback from injury.
The England forward has been out since suffering a shoulder injury in Northampton’s Heineken Cup defeat at Glasgow Warriors in January.
He was forced to have surgery on the problem and subsequently missed England’s entire Six Nations campaign.
He has also missed eight Saints games, but is optimistic about his chances of helping them achieve their aim of finishing in the Premiership top four this season.
And Clark believes the game at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium a week on Sunday is a realistic personal target.
“I’m not too far (from fitness) and fingers crossed it will be next week,” said the former Leeds Carnegie flanker. “I’m looking forward to getting back.
“It’s always hard watching the lads and we were on the end of a disappointing result (the 36-8 loss to Leicester) last weekend but you’ve got to look forward and not back.
“We’ve got to find some solutions to what didn’t go right last weekend and put it right.”