Collins starts at full-back as Saints make three changes for Quins clash

Lee Dickson returns at scrum-half, swapping the starting role with Kahn Fotuali’i, while Phil Dowson comes into the back row for Tom Wood.

Ken Pisi has been carrying a leg injury for a couple of weeks and is replaced at full back by Tom Collins.

Collins’ place on the bench is taken by Fa’atoina Autagavaia, who will make his first team debut should he see action.

The Samoan international arrived at Franklin’s Gardens before Christmas and played in the Wanderers’ win at Coventry last Friday.

Harlequins have also made three changes from the team that beat Exeter Chiefs at Twickenham last weekend, with one of the players missing out being England scrum-half Danny Care.

That means it will be brother against brother at scrum time, as his place is taken by Karl Dickson, Lee’s brother.

The other two changes see Tom Casson and Luke Wallace miss out, to be replaced by Tim Molenaar and Tom Guest.

Saints team to play Harlequins, Aviva Premiership, Franklin’s Gardens, Friday, January 3, 2013 (KO 7.45pm): Tom Collins; Jamie Elliott, George Pisi, Luther Burrell, George North; Stephen Myler, Lee Dickson; Alex Waller, Dylan Hartley, Salesi Ma’afu, Courtney Lawes, Christian Day, Calum Clark, Phil Dowson, Samu Manoa.

Replacements: Mike Haywood, Ethan Waller, Tom Mercey, Sam Dinckinson, Tom Wood, Kahn Fotuali’i, Glenn Dickson, Fa’atoina Autagavaia

Harlequins team: Mike Brown; Charlie Walker, Matt Hopper, Tim Molenaar, Sam Smith; Nick Evans, Karl Dickson; Joe Marler, Dave Ward, Will Collier, Charlie Matthews, George Robson, Tom Guest, Chris Robshaw, Nick Easter

Replacements: Max Crumpton, Mark Lambert, Paul Doran-Jones, Nick Kennedy, Joe Trayfoot, Sam Stuart, Ben Botica, Ollie Lindsay-Hague