Northampton Saints v Castres: Full team news for the Investec Champions Cup clash
Alex Mitchell will start for the first time this season when Saints host Castres in the Investec Champions Cup opener on Saturday (kick-off 3.15pm).
Mitchell produced an impressive showing from the bench last weekend, having returned from the neck injury that saw him miss the start of this campaign.
And he is now in from the off this weekend, lining up alongside Fin Smith, who have recovered from the eye injury that forced him off after just four minutes last Saturday.
Smith will be making his 50th Saints appearance this weekend.
Fraser Dingwall comes into the team at inside centre, skippering Saints in the absence of the rested George Furbank.
Furbank's absence means James Ramm will line up at full-back, while Tommy Freeman comes in on the wing for George Hendy, who suffered concussion against Gloucester.
Elliot Millar Mills and Temo Mayanavanua return after being rested last weekend.
Trevor Davison gets this weekend off, as does Tom Pearson, with Henry Pollock coming in at seven.
Emmanuel Iyogun starts in place of Tom West at loosehead, while Saints are set to hand a debut to new recruit Iakopo Mapu, the Samoa back row forward, from the bench.
Archie McParland is also among the replacements, with Tom James not in the matchday squad this weekend.
Saints: 15 James Ramm; 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Tom Litchfield, 12 Fraser Dingwall (c), 11 Ollie Sleightholme; 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Elliot Millar Mills; 4 Temo Mayanavanua, 5 Tom Lockett; 6 Angus Scott-Young, 7 Henry Pollock, 8 Juarno Augustus.
Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Tom West, 18 Luke Green, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Alex Coles, 21 Iakopo Mapu, 22 Archie McParland, 23 Rory Hutchinson.
Castres: 15 Theo Chabouni; 14 Josaia Raisuqe, 13 Adrien Seguret, 12 Joris Dupont, 11 Nathanael Hulleu; 10 Louis le Brun, 9 Santiago Arata (c); 1 Lois Guerois-Galisson, 2. Loris Zarantonello, 3 Aurelien Azar; 4 Guillaume Ducat, 5 Leone Nakarawa; 6 Yann Peysson, 7 Tyler Ardron, 8 Feibyan Tukino.
Replacements: 16 Pierre Colonna, 17 Wayan de Benedittis, 18 Nicolas Corato, 19 Mathieu Babillot, 20 Abraham Papalii, 21 Jeremy Fernandez, 22 Vilimoni Botitu, 23 Rémy Baget.