Gloucester v Northampton Saints: Full team news for Saturday's clash at Kingsholm

Summer signing James Ramm will start in the Premiership for the first time

Sam Matavesi, who has been away with Fiji, and England men Alex Coles, David Ribbans and Tommy Freeman will be part of the matchday 23 at Kingsholm.

And Lewis Ludlam will also be involved after making his return from injury against the Barbarians last weekend.

Ludlam skippers this side, with Matavesi starting at hooker, Coles named in the back row and Freeman on the wing.

Ribbans will be on a bench that includes six forwards and two backs as Saints look to combat the Gloucester forward power that eventually overwhelmed them last season.

Summer signing James Ramm is rewarded for some strong recent performances as he starts in the Premiership for the first time, lining up on the wing.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Alex Moon start together in the engine room for Saints for the fourth consecutive league match.

Alex Waller moves into solo-ninth position on the Premiership’s all-time list of appearances in his 246th match in the competition.

Matthew Arden, James Fish, James Grayson, Mike Haywood, Geordie Irvine, Courtney Lawes, Tom Lockett and Ollie Sleightholme are all unavailable for selection.

For Gloucester, Jack Singleton comes in at hooker, with Santiago Socino dropping to the bench.

Stephen Varney makes his first league start of the season at scrum-half, and Santiago Carreras starts at fly-half once again.

At centre, Seb Atkinson makes his Premiership debut for the Cherry and Whites.

In the back three, Jonny May returns on the wing after being away for England in the autumn.

Gloucester: Evans; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, May; Carreras, Varney; Rapava-Ruskin, Singleton, Balmain; Clarke, Alemanno; Ackermann, Ludlow (c), Morgan.

Replacements: Socino, Elrington, Knight, Jordan, Polledri, Twelvetrees, Hearle.

Saints: Furbank; Ramm, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Freeman; Smith, Mitchell; Waller, Matavesi, Hill; Salakaia-Loto, Moon; Coles, Ludlam (c), Augustus.

Replacements: Smith, Iyogun, Petch, Ribbans, Scott-Young, Graham, James, Proctor.