Mallinder starts at centre as Saints ring the changes for Scarlets trip

Harry Mallinder's reward for last Sunday's try-scoring heroics is a place in the Saints starting 15 for Saturday's game at Scarlets (KO 5.30pm).
STARTING ROLE - Harry MallinderSTARTING ROLE - Harry Mallinder
STARTING ROLE - Harry Mallinder

But unlike in the game against Glasgow, when Mallinder played at full-back, the 19-year-old will start in his preferred position at inside centre.

That means Luther Burrell will start on the bench and he will be joined by Lee Dickson and JJ Hanrahan, who are replaced by Tom Kessell and Stephen Myler respectively.

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It will be Kessell’s first Saints start, having made his debut off the bench in the 19-15 win against Glasgow.

Jamie Elliott and Sam Dickinson also come in, with Elliott replacing Tom Collins, who suffered concussion in the Glasgow game.

Dickinson has recovered from injury and replaces Teimana Harrison, who had started every game since coming into the side at Bath on December 5.

Dylan Hartley, who is expected to be named England captain on Monday, skippers Saints in a game they must win if they are to stand any chance of making the Champions Cup quarter-finals.

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Kieran Brookes (knee), Calum Clark (shoulder) and Kahn Fotuali’i are among those still sidelined by injury.

Meanwhile, Scarlets will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 64-14 thrashing at Racing 92.

They hand a Champions Cup debut to 21-year-old flanker Will Boyde.

Scarlets; Collins; Williams, King, S Shingler, van der Merwe; Thomas, G Davies; John, Owens (c), Lee; Price, Paulino; A Shingler, Boyde, Allen.

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Replacements: Myhill, Evans, Jones, Rawlins, Phillips, A Davies.

Saints: Foden; Elliott, G Pisi, Mallinder, North; Myler, Kessell; A Waller, Hartley (c), Hill; Lawes, Day; Gibson, Wood, Dickinson.

Replacements: Haywood, E Waller, Denman, Paterson, Fisher, Dickson, Hanrahan, Burrell.