Boyd names Saints side for Sixways visit

Northampton Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd has named his squad for Friday’s Gallagher Premiership Rugby clash at Worcester Warriors.

The men in Black, Green and Gold travel to Sixways (kick-off 7.45pm, live on BT Sport) having won four of the last five matches between the two sides.

Following last weekend’s cancelled Challenge Cup match in Romania, Boyd has made ten changes to his starting line-up – with several of Saints’ senior players returning to action in Worcester.

Club co-captains Dylan Hartley and Alex Waller return to lead the side at Sixways, with tighthead prop Paul Hill completing the front row.

David Ribbans and Courtney Lawes start together in the engine room for the seventh time in the Premiership this term, while Tom Wood, Lewis Ludlam and Teimana Harrison make up the back row for Northampton.

Cobus Reinach and Dan Biggar are reunited in Saints’ half-back positions, with No.9 Reinach hoping to add to his tally of six tries in all competitions so far.

Luther Burrell and Piers Francis make up Northampton’s midfield once again, and Taqele Naiyaravoro, Tom Collins and Ahsee Tuala complete the line-up in the back three.

Meanwhile amongst the replacements, flanker Jamie Gibson is poised for his 100^th Club cap should he enter the fray from the bench, and Heinrich Brüssow is in line for his first Premiership appearance since September.

WORCESTER WARRIORS v NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Round 10
Friday 21 December, 2018
Sixways Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm

15 Ahsee Tuala
14 Tom Collins
13 Luther Burrell
12 Piers Francis
11 Taqele Naiyaravoro
10 Dan Biggar
9 Cobus Reinach

1 Alex Waller (c)
2 Dylan Hartley (c)
3 Paul Hill
4 David Ribbans
5 Courtney Lawes
6 Tom Wood
7 Lewis Ludlam
8 Teimana Harrison

Replacements:
16 James Fish
17 Francois Van Wyk
18 Ben Franks
19 Api Ratuniyarawa
20 Jamie Gibson
21 Heinrich Brüssow
22 Alex Mitchell
23 Fraser Dingwall

Not available for selection:
Ken Pisi (shoulder), Nafi Tuitavake (neck), Andy Symons (knee), Harry Mallinder (knee), James Haskell (ankle), James Craig (concussion), Tom Emery (shoulder), Mikey Haywood (knee), and Andrew Kellaway (ankle).