Leinster v Northampton Saints: Team news for Saturday's game at the RDS Arena

George FurbankGeorge Furbank
George Furbank
George Furbank will start at fly-half for Saints against Leinster on Saturday (kick-off 1pm) after Dan Biggar was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury.

The severity of Biggar's problem has yet to be confirmed, but the black, green and gold will desperately be hoping it's not serious ahead of big Gallagher Premiership games against Worcester Warriors, London Irish and Leicester Tigers in the weeks to come.

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Furbank, who has often been tipped to play at 10 by Saints boss Chris Boyd and England head coach Eddie Jones, gets the nod at the RDS Arena.

Saints have opted to refresh their 15 with starts for the likes of Alex Moon, who has recovered from injury, scrum-half Tom James and wing Ryan Olowofela.

There is a youthful look to the back-line with Rory Hutchinson and Fraser Dingwall starting together at centre, while Tom Collins is at full-back.

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Positive news comes on the bench, where Mike Haywood and Teimana Harrison are back from injury and ready to play a part.

The absentee list is starting to ease, but Biggar, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Achilles), Lewis Ludlam (shin), Ollie Sleightholme (ankle) and Kayde Sylvester (Achilles) are sidelined.

Leinster: O'Brien; Keenan, Ringrose, Henshaw, D Kearney; H Byrne, Gibson-Park; Healy, Kelleher, Porter; Baird, Ryan; Ruddock (c), van der Flier, Doris.

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Replacements: Tracy, Dooley, Bent, Molony, Murphy, McGrath, R Byrne, Leavy.

Saints: Collins; Olowofela, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Naiyaravoro; Furbank, James; Waller (c), Matavesi, Hill; Moon, Ratuniyarawa; Isiekwe, Wood, Adendorff.

Replacements: Haywood, van Wyk, Franks, Coles, Harrison, Taylor, Francis, Proctor.

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