Bristol Bears v Northampton Saints: Full team news for Friday's game

With Fin Smith and George Furbank at England’s training camp in Girona, Saints had a choice to make between Makepeace-Cubitt and Charlie Savala for the 10 shirt.

And it is the England Under-20s ace who has won the battle, with Savala named on the bench.

Makepeace-Cubitt signed for Saints during the 2023/24 season, with the fly-half arriving from Reading Rams.

He came through London Irish’s Academy system, featuring for the Exiles from the age of 13 before joining their Senior Academy for the 2022/23 season.

The 20-year-old was yet to make a senior appearance before Irish went into administration, but he did feature for Rams in National League 1.

Makepeace-Cubitt was a strong performer for the England Under-20s, alongside Henry Pollock, Archie McParland and Craig Wright, who are all in Saints' 23 to face Bristol.

Tom Seabrook, James Ramm and Tom Litchfield replace England trio Ollie Sleightholme, Furbank and Tommy Freeman in the Saints backline this week.

Tom West comes in for Manny Iyogun at loosehead, while Curtis Langdon replaces Robbie Smith, who is set to be sidelined long term with a knee injury sustained in the 47-17 win against Sale Sharks last Friday.

Trevor Davison is with England so Elliott Millar Mills, this week named in Scotland’s Autumn Nations Series squad, starts at tighthead.

Alex Coles has handed Saints a welcome boost in the second row as he returns from a rib injury to skipper the side at Ashton Gate.

Temo Mayanavanua returns after being given a breather last Friday, so Gavin Thornbury drops to the bench and Chunya Munga is rested completely.

Josh Kemeny comes in for Angus Scott-Young in the back row.

Juarno Augustus, Emeka Atuanya, Fraser Dingwall, Sam Graham, Tom Lockett, Alex Mitchell, Burger Odendaal, Toby Thame and Smith make up the injured list this week.

Bristol Bears are able to welcome back three key men from injury as Steven Luatua, Kalaveti Ravouvou and Benhard Janse van Rensburg return.

Fijian centre Ravouvou, who makes his comeback from a shoulder injury, lines up in midfield alongside van Rensburg, with Jack Bates switching to the wing.

In the back row, 21-year-old Benjamin Grondona will make his first Premiership start, replacing his brother Santiago who misses out through injury.

Elsewhere, Luatua returns from injury to take his place on the blindside flank, with James Dun shifting into the second row in the absence of Josh Caulfield, who will undergo surgery on a torn pectoral muscle sustained against Saracens.

Jake Woolmore and Kieran Marmion start at loosehead and scrum-half respectively, with Ellis Genge and Harry Randall on international duty.

Yann Thomas is set for his first appearance of the season off the bench.

Bristol Bears: Lane; Bates, Ravouvou, van Rensburg, Ibitoye; MacGinty, Marmion; Woolmore, Oghre, Lahiff, Dun, Batley; Luatua, B Grondonna, Harding (c).

Replacements: Thacker, Thomas, Kloska, Owen, Heenan, Wolstenholme, Worsley, Elizalde.

Saints: Hendy; Ramm, Litchfield, Hutchinson, Seabrook; Makepeace-Cubitt, James; West, C Langdon, Millar Mills; Mayanavanua, Coles (c); Kemeny, Pearson, Pollock.

Replacements: Wright, Iyogun, Green, Thornbury, Scott-Young, McParland, Savala, Garside.