Premiership teams: Taulupe Faletau to make Bath debut
Saturday 3 September 2016 15:43, UK
International No 8s Louis Picamoles and Taulupe Faletau will make their Premiership debuts in Saturday's opener between Northampton and Bath while Springboks flanker Schalk Burger starts for Saracens in their Twickenham date with Worcester.
Harlequins v Bristol (2pm)
England scrum-half Danny Care leads a powerful Quins line-up that also features Jamie Roberts, Tim Visser and Nick Evans behind the scrum.
Up front, England trio Joe Marler, Chris Robshaw and Jack Clifford will look to make an immediate impression as the new Premiership season swings into action.
Bristol return to the top flight after a lengthy absence with newcomers Will Hurrell, Soane Tonga'uiha, Jon Fisher and Jordan Crane all starting, along with fly-half Tusi Pisi.
Gavin Henson fills the inside centre role but a number of players are unavailable because of injury, including Jack Tovey, Luke Arscott, Gareth Maule, David Lemi and Callum Sheedy.
Harlequins: 15 Ross Chisholm, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care (c); 1 Joe Marler, 2 Rob Buchanan, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 4 Sam Twomey, 5 James Horwill, 6 Chris Robshaw, 7 Luke Wallace, 8 Jack Clifford.
Replacements: 16 Dave Ward, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Will Collier, 19 George Merrick, 20 Mat Luamanu, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Alofa Alofa.
Bristol: 15 Jack Wallace; 14 Ryan Edwards, 13 Will Hurrell, 12 Gavin Henson, 11 Tom Varndell; 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Will Cliff; 1 Soane Tonga'uiha, 2 Ross McMillan, 3 Gaston Cortes, 4 James Phillips, 5 Ben Glynn, 6 Jon Fisher, 7 Jack Lam (c), 8 Jordan Crane.
Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker, 17 Kyle Traynor, 18 Anthony Perenise, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Olly Robinson, 21 Mitch Eadie, 22 Rhodri Williams, 23 Ben Mosses.
Northampton v Bath (3.30pm)
France international Louis Picamoles is named in a powerful Saints pack that also includes England internationals Dylan Hartley, Kieran Brookes, Courtney Lawes and Tom Wood.
Harry Mallinder starts at fly-half and Wales wing George North, who suffered a hamstring injury during the summer tour of New Zealand, is among the replacements.
Wales No 8 Taulupe Faletau makes his Premiership debut for Bath while Samoa international scrum-half Kahn Fotuali'i makes a quick-fire return to Franklin's Gardens to face his former club.
England backs Jonathan Joseph and George Ford also start while flanker Matt Garvey takes the captain's armband.
Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Ahsee Tuala, 10 Harry Mallinder, 9 Lee Dickson; 1 Alex Waller, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Courtney Lawes, 5 Michael Paterson, 6 Tom Wood (c), 7 Jamie Gibson, 8 Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Campese Ma'afu, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Sam Dickinson, 20 Teimana Harrison, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Stephen Myler, 23 George North.
Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Max Clark, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 George Ford, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i; 1 Nathan Catt, 2 Ross Batty, 3 Henry Thomas, 4 Charlie Ewels, 5 Dave Attwood, 6 Matt Garvey (c), 7 David Denton, 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Nick Auterac, 18 Kane Palma-Newport, 19 David Sisi, 20 Tom Ellis, 21 Chris Cook, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Jeff Williams.
Saracens v Worcester (4pm)
South Africa international flanker Schalk Burger makes his Premiership debut for Saracens, packing down alongside Jackson Wray and Billy Vunipola, while fly-half Alex Lozowski starts instead of an injured Owen Farrell.
Scotland international Sean Maitland is on the wing, with Chris Ashton making his 100th Saracens appearance and hooker Jamie George his 150th.
Ben Te'o features in the Worcester midfield following his arrival from Leinster, where he will partner Wynand Olivier.
Full-back Jackson Willison is also handed a Premiership debut with scrum-half Jonny Arr making a first competitive appearance for eight months after recovering from injury.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Alex Lozowski, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Jamie George, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Kruis, 6 Jackson Wray, 7 Schalk Burger, 8 Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Michael Rhodes, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Duncan Taylor, 23 Mike Ellery.
Worcester Warriors: 15 Jackson Willison, 14 Dean Hammond, 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Ben Te'o, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Jonny Arr; 1 Val Rapava Ruskin, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Tevita Cavubati, 5 Darren Barry, 6 Phil Dowson, 7 Marco Mama, 8 GJ van Velze (c).
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Na'ama Leleimalefaga, 18 James Johnston, 19 Christian Scotland-Williamson, 20 Alafoti Faosiliva, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Tom Heathcote, 23 Perry Humphreys.
