Debut for Ryder as Saints make 15 changes for LV= Cup date at Leicester
New boy Tom Ryder will make his Saints debut in Saturday’s LV= Cup game at Leicester Tigers.
The Scotland lock, who this week joined from Glasgow Warriors on a deal until the end of the season, is part of a new-look Northampton 15, with American No.8 Cam Dolan also making his first start.
Boss Jim Mallinder has opted to change his entire starting line-up after last weekend’s Champions Cup defeat to Racing Metro.
Phil Dowson will captain a youthful group of which 17 of the 23 came through the Saints Academy.
Meanwhile, Jamie Gibson, who will join Saints from Leicester this summer, lines up against his future employers in a strong Tigers team.
Owen Williams, Niall Morris and Adam Thompstone also form part of the 15 with the likes of Logovi’i Mulipola and Matt Smith on the bench.
Leicester: Bell; Morris, Catchpole, Roberts, Thompstone; Williams, Harrison; Rizzo, Thacker, Balmain; Peterson, De Chaves; Gibson, Barbieri, Pearce.
Replacements: Briggs, Brugnara, Mulipola, Whetton, Beckett, Mele, Smith, Hepetema.
Saints: Collins; Elliott, Waldouck, Stephenson, Packman; Hooley, Hodgson; E Waller, Williams, Denman; Ryder, Woolford; Dowson, Harrison, Dolan.
Replacements: Marshall, Hobbs-Awoyemi, Parkins, Onojaife, Nutley, A Day, Olver, Hutchinson.