Premiership team news: George North back for Northampton
Saturday 30 April 2016 20:31, UK
There are two Aviva Premiership fixtures in the East Midlands on Saturday as Leicester host Worcester and Northampton face Bath.
The Tigers are without injured duo Freddie Burns and Manu Tuilagi while Northampton welcome back a host of internationals for their clash with Bath at Franklin's Gardens.
Leicester Tigers v Worcester Warriors (3pm)
Owen Williams replaces the injured Burns at fly-half for Leicester while Italy hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini returns from the shoulder injury he suffered during the Six Nations.
Tuilagi misses out with a knee injury so Mathew Tait moves to inside centre in a rejigged backline. England duo Ben Youngs and Dan Cole drop to the bench.
Worcester centre Andy Symons makes his 50th club appearance and is one of three changes to the team that conceded 54 points against Wasps on April 16.
Niall Annett and Tevita Cavubati come in at hooker and lock respectively while Bryce Heem reverts to the wing in place of Tom Biggs.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Telusa Veainu, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Peter Betham, 12 Mathew Tait, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Sam Harrison; 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3 Fraser Balmain, 4 Dom Barrow, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Ed Slater (c), 7 Lachlan McCaffrey, 8 Opeti Fonua.
Replacements: 16 Greg Bateman, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Tom Croft, 20 Will Evans, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Tommy Bell, 23 Matt Smith.
Worcester Warriors: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Bryce Heem, 13 Andy Symons, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Francois Hougaard; 1 Val Rapava Ruskin, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Tevita Cavubati, 5 Darren Barry, 6 Phil Dowson, 7 Carl Kirwan, 8 GJ van Velze (c).
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Na'ama Leleimalefaga, 18 James Johnston, 19 Donncha O'Callaghan, 20 Sam Betty, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Dean Hammond.
Northampton Saints v Bath (3.30pm)
Northampton welcome a number of key players back from injury as they look to secure a top-six finish and Champions Cup place, but England hooker Dylan Hartley remains sidelined.
Scrum-half Lee Dickson returns to skipper the side with Ben Foden and George North named in the back three. Jamie Gibson starts at blindside flanker with Kahn Fotuali'I on the bench.
Francois Louw is named in the Bath back row after a three-game absence while England prop David Wilson comes in at tighthead.
Rhys Priestland switches from full-back to fly-half as George Ford drops to the replacements bench, with Anthony Watson and Jeff Williams selected in the back three.
Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 George North, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson (c); 1 Alex Waller, 2 Mikey Haywood, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Courtney Lawes, 5 Christian Day, 6 Jamie Gibson, 7 Tom Wood, 8 Teimana Harrison.
Replacements: 16 Reece Marshall, 17 Campese Ma'afu, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Victor Matfield, 20 Ben Nutley, 21 Kahn Fotuali'I, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Harry Mallinder.
Bath: 15 Anthony Watson, 14 Jeff Williams, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Chris Cook; 1 Nathan Catt, 2 Rob Webber, 3 David Wilson, 4 Charlie Ewels, 5 Dave Attwood, 6 Matt Garvey, 7 Francois Louw (c), 8 David Denton.
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Nick Auterac, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Dominic Day, 20 Leroy Houston, 21 Will Homer, 22 George Ford, 23 Max Clark.
