Flanker Clark in line for Saints return at London Welsh

England flanker Clark has been out since injuring his shoulder in the Heineken Cup defeat at Glasgow in January.

He has missed eight Northampton games but is now fit and raring to go for the final three clashes of the regular season.

And winger Paul Diggin could also be back in the mix, having recovered from the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury which has stopped him playing a single minute for Saints this season.

But there is not such good news for centre Dom Waldouck, who will be out for a few months following hamstring surgery.

“We’re pretty good on the injury front,” said Mallinder.

“Calum Clark has been in full training this week so he’s available for selection after a long spell out.

“We’re really disappointed about Dom Waldouck but he’s had an operation now so he won’t play any further part in this season.

“It will be a few months but hopefully we’ll get him back for the start of next season, somewhere around there, but apart from that we’re in good health.”

Clark’s return bolsters Saints’ back row options, with Tom Wood, Phil Dowson and Samu Manoa among the big names in that department.

And Mallinder is revelling in the selection dilemma ahead of Sunday’s showdown at the Kassam Stadium.

“We’ve got some of the more experienced lads back now, but we’ve also got some of the younger lads coming through,” he said.

“We’ve been really impressed with Ben Nutley in particular, and the pressure he’s putting on the rest of the squad.

“Samu Manoa has been outstanding all season, whether he’s played in the back row or the second row.

“We’ve got Tom Wood, Calum Clark coming back, Phil Dowson still being his usual, organised self and we’ve got some difficult decisions to make.”