Northampton Saints v Bath: Confirmed team news for Wednesday's game at Franklin's Gardens

Harry Mallinder is back from injury and will start at full-back for Saints when Bath come calling at Franklin's Gardens on Wednesday night (kick-off 7.45pm).
Harry Mallinder starts for Saints against BathHarry Mallinder starts for Saints against Bath
Harry Mallinder starts for Saints against Bath

Mallinder was due to start in the first game of the Gallagher Premiership restart, against Wasps, but had to withdraw at late notice due to a knee injury.

He did not feature in the 27-3 win at London Irish last weekend but is able to take his place in the starting line-up for the midweek match against a Bath side who sit fifth in the standings.

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Talented young full-back Tommy Freeman will provide cover from the bench, and should he get on the field he will be making his Premiership debut.

Prop Nick Auterac, who arrived from Harlequins this summer, will make his first Saints appearance as he starts at loosehead.

It is a completely fresh starting 15 from the one that took to the field at The Stoop last weekend as Saints employ a two-team policy for their hectic schedule.

But there are some players who were involved against Irish who will feature, with Ahsee Tuala among them.

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The Samoan back, who bagged a sensational bonus-point score at The Stoop, steps up from the bench to start on the wing.

Francois van Wyk, Ehren Painter, Lewis Bean, Tui Uru, Tom James and Rory Hutchinson also remain in the matchday squad and are all among the replacements.

Alex Coles (ankle), Ollie Sleightholme (hamstring), Connor Tupai (wrist), Alex Waller (Achilles) and Tom Wood (pulmonary embolism) remain sidelined.

Meanwhile, Bath have also made huge changes to their starting 15 after cruising past Leicester Tigers at Welford Road last weekend.

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Tom de Glanville comes in for Anthony Watson at full-back, while Max Clark returns from a long-term injury to start at outside centre.

Wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb will make his first appearance since progressing to the senior squad as he replaces Ruaridh McConnochie, who is named as a replacement.

Josh Matavesi swaps in for fly-half Rhys Priestland, who is named on the bench, and will form a new partnership with Will Chudley, who replaces Ben Spencer at scrum-half.

Beno Obano, Jack Walker and Christian Judge all come in to make up a new front row partnership with Bath changing the entire forward pack.

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Will Spencer makes his second debut for the club, having re-joined the blue, black and white in June 2020 from Leicester Tigers.

He is joined in the second row by Elliott Stooke, who comes in for Charlie Ewels.

Mike Williams, captain Josh Bayliss and Zach Mercer come into replace Tom Ellis, Sam Underhill, Taulupe Faletau in the back row.

A notable return to the bench also sees Miles Reid back into the fold having recovered well from an ACL tear on the very first day of the season against Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.

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Saints: Mallinder; Tuala, Dingwall, Francis, Naiyaravoro; Biggar, Taylor; Auterac, Fish, Franks; Ribbans, Ratuniyarawa; Lawes, Tonks, Harrison (c).

Replacements: Matavesi, van Wyk, Painter, Bean, Uru, James, Hutchinson, Freeman.

Bath: De Glanville; Rokoduguni, Clark, Redpath, Hamer-Webb; Matavesi, Chudley; Obano, Walker, Judge; W Spencer, Stooke; Williams, Bayliss (c), Mercer.

Replacements: Dunn, Boyce, Stuart, Ewels, Reid, B Spencer, Priestland, McConnochie.

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