Harlequins v Northampton Saints: Confirmed team news for Sunday's game at the Twickenham Stoop

Saints have bolstered their bench for Sunday's trip to Harlequins (kick-off 2pm).
Ehren Painter starts for Saints at The StoopEhren Painter starts for Saints at The Stoop
Ehren Painter starts for Saints at The Stoop

While the starting 15 remains largely the same from the win against London Irish at The Stoop last Saturday - aside from Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi coming in for Francois van Wyk and Ehren Painter replacing Paul Hill - the replacements list is very different.

Saints have opted to avoid putting inexperienced players in reserve and will instead utilise some of the more senior men who faced Bath on Wednesday night.

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It is a tweak in the selection policy that sees Saints split their squad into two teams.

So far, they have named plenty of completely fresh players among the replacements, but not against Quins.

The likes of David Ribbans, Teimana Harrison and Taqele Naiyaravoro are all ready to come on if needed.

As for Harlequins, who, like Saints, suffered a disappointing midweek defeat, they have also rung the changes, with several international stars returning.

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Danny Care and Paul Lasike are in the starting 15 for the first time this season.

Openside flanker Will Evans is the only change to the team that faced Saracens at Allianz Park during round 15, with club captain Chris Robshaw shifting to the six jersey.

The Quins backline contains the likes of Joe Marchant, Mike Brown and former Saints wing Chris Ashton.

Harlequins: Brown; Ashton, Marchant, Lasike, Earle; Smith, Care; Marler, Baldwin, Kerrod; Lewis, Symons; Robshaw (c), Evans, Dombrandt.

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Replacements: Gray, Garcia Botta, Collier, Lamb, Chisholm, Steele, Lang, Morris.

Saints: Furbank; Olowofela, Procter, Hutchinson, Collins; Grayson, Mitchell; Hobbs-Awoyemi, Haywood, Painter; Moon, Isiekwe; Gibson, Ludlam (c), Adendorff.

Replacements: Marshall, Auterac, Hill, Ribbans, Harrison, Taylor, Dingwall, Naiyaravoro.

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