By Saint Ted
October 5 2018

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS v LEICESTER TIGERSGallagher Premiership Rugby, Round SixSaturday 6 October, 2018Twickenham StadiumKick-off: 3pm

Northampton Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd has made two changes to his starting XV for this week’s Derby clash against Leicester Tigers.

Twickenham Stadium is the venue for the first East Midlands Derby of the season, with Saints hosting the game at the home of English rugby in aid of retired player Rob Horne, who will deliver the match ball in front of over 40,000 supporters.

Both BT Sport and terrestrial broadcaster Channel 5 will be at HQ to show every second of the latest instalment of this classic rugby rivalry, with kick-off set for 3pm.

The men in Black, Green and Gold arrive in south-west London off the back of a five-point win over Bristol Bears last weekend, and completed a season double over Tigers last term for the first time since 2005.

Boyd has called fullback Harry Mallinder and centre Andrew Kellaway into his starting team for the first time this season, with Piers Francis unavailable and Ahsee Tuala switching onto the wing for the Twickenham showdown.

Fresh from scoring his first Saints try last time out at Ashton Gate, Taqele Naiyaravoro completes the back three, with inside centre Luther Burrell partnering Kellaway in midfield, and Cobus Reinach and Dan Biggar filling the half-back positions once again.

Meanwhile Boyd has named an unchanged pack following an impressive set-piece showing at Bristol, with Dylan Hartley and Alex Waller jointly leading the side in the front row.

David Ribbans and Courtney Lawes are selected together again in the engine room with Jamie Gibson, Lewis Ludlam, and Teimana Harrison packing down at the base of the scrum.

And Fraser Dingwall comes into the replacements in the only other change to the matchday 23, with the England Under-20 international in line for his debut first-team appearance for Saints should he enter the game 

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15 Harry Mallinder

14 Ahsee Tuala

13 Andrew Kellaway

12 Luther Burrell

11 Taqele Naiyaravoro

10 Dan Biggar

9 Cobus Reinach

1 Alex Waller (co-captain)

2 Dylan Hartley (co-captain)

3 Ehren Painter

4 David Ribbans

5 Courtney Lawes

6 Jamie Gibson

7 Lewis Ludlam

8 Teimana Harrison

Replacements:

16 Mike Haywood

17 Francois Van Wyk

18 Ben Franks

19 Api Ratuniyarawa

20 Mitch Eadie

21 Alex Mitchell

22 Fraser Dingwall

23 Tom Collins

Not available for selection:
James Craig (concussion), James Fish (ankle), Paul Hill (shoulder), Rory Hutchinson (knee), Toby Trinder (foot), Ken Pisi (shoulder), Heinrich Brüssow (concussion), Nafi Tuitavake (neck), Andy Symons (knee), Piers Francis (concussion), and Jamal Ford-Robinson (knee).