Northampton Saints’ latest signing Pat Barnard will make his home debut – and first start for the club – in this Saturday’s GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP clash with London Wasps.

Barnard is one of five changes made by the Saints coaching staff to the starting line-up, the others being Sam Harding, Chris Budgen, David Quinlan and Senior Academy member Paul Diggin, reward for a string of impressive Guinness ‘A’ League performances in the Wanderers.

Recent arrivals Ben Lewitt and Luke Harbut could also make their first appearances for Saints at Franklin's Gardens after Grant Seely and Colin Noon pulled out with back strains. Both have been named on the replacements' bench alongside England Sevens squad member Andy Vilk, who has spent the past few weeks on loan at National One side Coventry.

“I’m really excited and can’t wait,” said Barnard. “The people and team here have been amazing, and having watched a game here I’m looking forward to running out in front of a packed Franklin’s Gardens.”

Barnard – who came on in the second half at Saracens last week – will bolster a pack which has lost Tom Smith due to a rib injury , but is still received the full backing of Saints’ head coach Paul Grayson.

“I’m confident that the forwards will go all right this weekend,” he said. “They had a hard time last Saturday but we still scored three tries.

“But London Wasps will be a hard test. They’ve been Premiership champions for the past three years, are always a tough team to play and we’ll have to be at our best.”

As well as the traditional wreath laying at the club’s war memorial, the team will also mark Remembrance weekend by playing in shirts especially embroidered with a poppy.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

15 BRUCE REIHANA (capt)*
14 Paul Diggin
13 Jon Clarke
12 DAVID QUINLAN
11 John Rudd
10 CARLOS SPENCER
9 MARK ROBINSON
1 Chris Budgen
2 Dan Richmond
3 Pat Barnard
4 DAVID GERARD
5 Damien Browne
6 Darren Fox
7 SAM HARDING
8 Daniel Browne

Replacements
16 Dylan Hartley
17 Luke Harbut
18 Matt Lord
19 Ben Lewitt
20 Johnny Howard
21 Rhodri Davies
22 Andy Vilk

* Internationals in CAPS

Saturday’s game will see the newly extended South Stand in full operation for the first time – including seven executive boxes – and is already a 13,600 sell-out, a modern-day record for Franklin’s Gardens.