Director of rugby Budge Pountney said: “Steve has played in the back-row a number of times and every time he has played there, he has played extremely well. Dylan Hartley played well at hooker last week and deserves to keep his place. Steve will find this change of role really refreshing.

Thompson, who scored a try from the back-row against Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park last season, said: “I have not played in the back-row for a while but I am looking forward to running around and enjoying myself.”

He added: “Gloucester are one of the more traditional rugby clubs like Northampton. It’s a great atmosphere down there with lots of shouting from The Shed trying to put you off. But it’s all great fun and good banter, and I really enjoy going down there to play rugby.”

There are two further changes to the starting line-up with centre David Quinlan, selected in the Ireland squad on Monday, poised to make his Saints debut this weekend in the place of Seamus Mallon, and prop Chris Budgen has moved up from the bench to replace Brett Sturgess.

Quinlan said: “I cannot for Saturday. These are the games I came over here to play. Since I have got here I have been looking forward to pulling on a Saints jersey in a competitive match.”

Saturday’s match, which kicks-off at 2.45pm at Kingsholm, also marks wing Ben Cohen’s 200th game for the club. Cohen played his debut game against Treorchy in the 1996/97 season and he has scored 81 tries in that time.

He said: “I cannot believe I have played nearly 200 games and I am really looking forward to Saturday. It’s a great honour to play for this club and an even bigger honour to reach a milestone that so many great Saints players have reached before me.”

Northampton Saints

15 BRUCE REIHANA (capt)
14 SEAN LAMONT
13 Jon Clarke
12 DAVID QUINLAN
11 BEN COHEN
10 CARLOS SPENCER
9 MARK ROBINSON
1 TOM SMITH
2 Dylan Hartley
3 Chris Budgen
4 Matt Lord
5 Damien Browne
6 STEVE THOMPSON
7 Darren Fox
8 Mark Easter

16 Dan Richmond
17 Brett Sturgess
18 SELBORNE BOOME
19 Mark Soden
20 Johnny Howard
21 Rhodri Davies
22 Seamus Mallon