London Irish v Northampton Saints: Full team news for the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final

The 33-year-old hooker joined Saints from Edinburgh Rugby earlier this month on a contract to the end of the season, and lines up in the front row, with Sam Matavesi and Mike Haywood unavailable and Robbie Smith rested.

With a place in the final of the competition up for grabs, Saints stick with the same blend of youth and experience that saw them progress through the pool stage as best runners-up, finishing below Irish in Pool 3.

James Grayson, who lined up at full-back for Bedford Blues last Friday, will start at fly-half as he makes his first Saints appearance since sustaining a foot injury back in October.

Callum Braley will skipper Saints, as he did three times during the pool stages, having been given the nod at scrum-half.

Tom Collins comes in at full-back and Tom Litchfield starts at inside centre.

Courtnall Skosan, Ollie Sleightholme and Rory Hutchinson all retain their starting roles having helped Saints to see off Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road last time out.

Alex Coles and Aaron Hinkley are the only other players that started that Tigers match to stay in the 15 as Saints opt to rest and rotate.

With Alex Waller and Paul Hill given a breather, props Ethan Waller and Alfie Petch, who both started Saints’ final pool stage match, at Newcastle Falcons, are named in the front row alongside debutant Cruse.

Brandon Nansen and Coles combine in the engine room, while Karl Wilkins continues his return from a long-term injury at blindside flanker.

Hinkley starts at openside, with Sam Graham pulling on the No.8 shirt.

Among the replacements for Saints, the likes of Tom James, Joel Matavesi and George Hendy will all be hoping to make an impact from the bench, and Tom Lockett and Kayde Sylvester will maintain their 100 per cent appearance record in this year’s tournament if they enter the action.

Saints are without all of their England players as they have been retained by Steve Borthwick ahead of the Guinness Six Nations clash with Italy at Twickenham on Sunday.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Fraser Dingwall remain suspended, though Dingwall will be free to return when Saints host Sale Sharks in the Gallagher Premiership next weekend.

The current injury list is made up of Haywood, Sam Matavesi, Manny Iyogun, James Fish and Joseph Gaffan.

London Irish: Loader; Cinti, Williams, Jennings, Dykes; Atkins, Englefield; Gigena, Ruiz, Chawatama; Caulfield, Munga; Cooke (c), Basham, Fa’aso’o.

Replacements: Cornish, Haffar, Parker, Scragg, Donnell, O’Sullivan, Poolman, Stokes.

Saints: Collins; O Sleightholme, Hutchinson, Litchfield, Skosan; J Grayson, Braley (c); E Waller, Cruse, Petch; Nansen, Coles; Wilkins, Hinkley, Graham.

Replacements: Burns, Hobbs-Awoyemi, Painter, Lockett, Sylvester, James, J Matavesi, Hendy.