Northampton Saints v Newcastle Red Bulls: Full team news for the cup clash
George Furbank and Ollie Sleightholme will start for Saints in the home PREM Rugby Cup game against Newcastle Red Bulls on Saturday evening (kick-off 5.30pm).
The England stars will be playing for the first time this season as Furbank has overcome a calf issue and Sleightholme returns from a hamstring problem.
Anthony Belleau again steers the ship from fly-half, teaming up with Jonny Weimann at half-back.
Chunya Munga skippers Saints against Newcastle, starting at six.
Saints ring the changes in their front row, as props Tom West and Sonny Tonga’uiha make their first starts of the season, alongside hooker Henry Walker.
Guest player James Bennett, from Loughborough University, will start for Saints for the first time as he lines up in the second row.
Tom Lockett has been added to the ‘not considered for selection’ list after picking up an injury on England A duty last weekend.
Emeka Atuanya, Cleopas Kundiona, Curtis Langdon, James Martin, James Ramm and Charlie Ulcoq are also sidelined.
Alex Coles, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell, Henry Pollock and Fin Smith (all England), Rory Hutchinson and Elliot Millar Mills (both Scotland), Danilo Fischetti and Edoardo Todaro (both Italy), George Hendy, Emmanuel Iyogun, Archie McParland and Craig Wright (all England A) are on international duty.
Saints will face a tough test this weekend as Newcastle are sending a side full of experience to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
Centre Stewart Moore will make his Newcastle debut having joined on a season-long loan from Ulster.
George McGuigan captains a Red Bulls side looking to get their cup campaign back on track following a 10-8 home loss to Leicester Tigers, having started with a bonus-point victory over Harlequins.
Ethan Grayson starts at full-back against his former club, with Alex Hearle returning on the left wing.
Richard Palframan comes in at tighthead prop, and Jamie Hodgson is called back into the second row.
Cameron Hutchison kicks off his second spell at Newcastle after re-joining the club from Saracens last week, while Joe Davis misses out on a potential comeback having suffered a hamstring injury in training.
Saints: 15 George Furbank; 14 Ollie Sleightholme, 13 Henry Lumley, 12 Toby Thame, 11 James Pater; 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Jonny Weimann; 1 Tom West, 2 Henry Walker, 3 Sonny Tonga’uiha; 4 Ed Prowse, 5 James Bennett*; 6 Chunya Munga (c), 7 Archie Benson, 8 Fyn Brown.
Replacements: 16 Marco Manfredi, 17 Oliver Scola, 18 Luke Green, 19 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 20 Sam Graham, 21 Tom James, 22 Tom Litchfield, 23 Amena Caqusau.
Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Ethan Grayson; 14 Harrison Obatoyinbo, 13 Stewart Moore, 12 Cameron Hutchison, 11 Alex Hearle; 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Murray McCallum, 2 George McGuigan (c), 3 Richard Palframan; 4 Oscar Usher, 5 Jamie Hodgson; 6 Cameron Neild, 7 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 8 Freddie Lockwood.
Replacements: 16 Hame Faiva, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 Adam Scott, 20 Tom Gordon, 21 James Elliott, 22 Max Clark, 23 Sam Waugh.