Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints: Full team news for Friday's game
Harry Mallinder has handed Saints a big boost, with the utility back fit enough to be named on the bench for Friday night's Gallagher Premiership opener at Sale Sharks (kick-off 8pm).
Mallinder has not played since March due to a troublesome knee problem, but he has fully recovered from the surgery he had in early October and can now play his part.
More good news for Saints comes in the form of influential No.8 Teimana Harrison, who has shrugged off a calf injury and starts.
George Furbank wears the 15 shirt after being released by England earlier in the week, while David Ribbans and Alex Mitchell are named among the replacements.
Alex Waller will make his first competitive appearance since February, while Tom Wood is back after a pulmonary embolism ruled him out of the run-in last season.
Mikey Haywood (knee), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Achilles), Rory Hutchinson (ankle), Courtney Lawes (ankle), Ollie Sleightholme (ankle) and Kayde Sylvester (Achilles) are ruled out.
Sale are able to name a strong side which includes the likes of Faf de Klerk and Denny Solomona.
Saints: Furbank; Tuala, Proctor, Francis, Collins; Grayson, Taylor; Waller (c), Fish, Hill; Moon, Ratuniyarawa; Isiekwe, Wood, Harrison.
Replacements: Marshall, Auterac, Franks, Ribbans, Tonks, Mitchell, Dingwall, Mallinder.
Sale Sharks: L James; Solomona, S James, van Rensburg, Hammersley; MacGinty, de Klerk; Morozov, van der Merwe, Oosthuizen; Wiese, JL du Preez; Ross (c), B Curry, D du Preez.
Replacements: Langdon, Rodd, Cooper-Woolley, Phillips, Postlethwaite, Cliff, R du Preez, Yarde.