Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers: Full team news for Saturday's friendly fixture

David Ribbans will captain Saints on his final cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens appearance as Leicester Tigers come calling for a friendly on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 2pm).

Ribbans has exercised a break clause in his contract meaning he will be joining Toulon at the end of the season.

But not before he has said goodbye to the Gardens as he leads Saints out against Tigers.

Courtnall Skosan and Tom Collins, whose summer switch to London Irish was confirmed on Friday morning, also start as they get set for their final Gardens outings.

David Ribbansplaceholder image
David Ribbans

Tommy Freeman will be at outside centre as Fraser Dingwall is given the afternoon off, while the likes of Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam and George Furbank are also rested.

But Saints have picked a strong side that includes regular starters such as Juarno Augustus, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith.

The likes of Mike Haywood, Brandon Nansen, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, Callum Burns, Frankie Sleightholme, Ethan Grayson and Archie Kean are set to make their final Saints appearances from the bench as Saints name a total of 20 replacements for this fixture.

Geordie Irvine, Emmanuel Iyogun, Joel Matavesi, Matt Proctor, James Ramm, Ollie Sleightholme and Robbie Smith make up the unavailable list.

Leicester ran out 45-14 winners in the first leg of the 'Derby Day Double' at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on April 17.

Francois van Wyk will captain the Tigers side as he did on that Monday night in Leicester.

Hosea Saumaki is the only new face in the starting side from the first match.

On the Tigers bench, James Whitcombe, Tom Manz and Malelili Satala join the matchday squad after not featuring in the game earlier this month.

Saints: Hendy; Collins, Freeman, Hutchinson, Skosan; F Smith, Mitchell; E Waller, S Matavesi; Davison; Ribbans (c), Moon; Salakaia-Loto, Graham, Augustus.

Replacements: Burns, Cruse, Haywood, Hobbs-Awoyemi, Heffernan, Hill, Prowse, Lockett, Nansen, Coles, Scott-Young, Wilkins, Braley, James, J Grayson, F Sleightholme, Litchfield, E Grayson, Kean, Glister.

Leicester Tigers: Murimurivalu; Browning, Cokanasiga, Woodward, Saumaki; Atkinson, Edwards; van Wyk (c), Dolly, Hurd; L Chessum, Carmichael; Carnduff, Ilione, Jansen.

Replacements: Vanes, Whitcombe, Richardson, T Manz, J Manz, Koroiyadi, Wolstenholme, Meredith, Cusick, Satala.

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