Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers: Team news for Friday's cup clash

Weimann produced a crucial 60-minute performance off the bench in the Gallagher PREM win against Gloucester last weekend, and he is rewarded with the captaincy this week.

There are two potential Saints debuts on Friday night as lock Alex Mead and wing Charlie Tamani are named among the replacements.

JJ van der Mescht adds some extra muscle from the bench, while there are some welcome returns from injury in the starting line-up as Henry Lumley is fit to start at centre and Oliver Scola, who suffered an injury during the early stages of the cup campaign, lines up at loosehead.

Having scored for Bedford Blues against Hartpury University last weekend, hooker Craig Wright returns to black, green and gold colours this weekend, packing down alongside 20-year-old props Scola and Sonny Tonga’uiha.

With 54 outings for the club, lock Chunya Munga is the the leading Saints appearance maker in the squad, forming a heavyweight lock partnership with James Bennett, who scored twice in his last black, green and gold outing, against Saracens in September.

Archie Benson, Charlie Ulcoq and Josh Taylor combine in the back row, while Weimann teams up with Hugh Shields at half-back.

The only member of the backline older than 22, and the only starting player to be born before the year 2000, is 27-year-old full-back James Martin, who lines up in the back three alongside wingers Thomas Rowe and Amena Caqusau, with the latter making his first Saints appearance of the season.

Toby Thame – a try-scorer in both of his past two outings in black, green and gold – operates at outside centre alongside Lumley.

Ben Alexander, Trevor Davison, Malik Faissal, Luke Green, Tom Litchfield, Archie McParland, Aidan Pugh, Edoardo Todaro and Lefty Zigiriadis are on the unavailable for selection list this week.

Alex Coles, Emmanuel Iyogun, Tom Pearson, Henry Pollock, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman and Fin Smith (all England), Tom Lockett, George Hendy and James Pater (England ‘A’), Danilo Fischetti and Ion Neculai (Italy), Rory Hutchinson (Scotland) and Cleopas Kundiona (Zimbabwe) are on international duty.

Saints have lost both of their PREM Rugby Cup matches so far this season, suffering defeats at Saracens and Harlequins in September.

Leicester have also been beaten in both of their cup clashes as they sit level on one point with Saints at the bottom of Pool B.

Joseph Woodward will captain Tigers from the 10 shirt this week, with the likes of Ollie Hassell-Collins, Will Wand and former Saints prop Tarek Haffar also in the starting 15.

Saints: 15 James Martin; 14 Amena Caqusau, 13 Toby Thame, 12 Henry Lumley, 11 Thomas Rowe; 10 Hugh Shields, 9 Jonny Weimann (c); 1 Oliver Scola, 2 Craig Wright, 3 Sonny Tonga’uiha; 4 Chunya Munga, 5 James Bennett; 6 Archie Benson, 7 Charlie Ulcoq, 8 Josh Taylor.

Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Jordan Els, 18 Noah Buxton, 19 JJ van der Mescht, 20 Alex Mead, 21 Sonny Goode, 22 Will Catley, 23 Charlie Tamani.

Leicester Tigers: 15 George Pearson; 14 Ryan Crowley, 13 Will Wand, 12 Wilf McCarthy, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins; 10 Joseph Woodward (c), 9 Ollie Allan; 1 Tarek Haffar, 2 Samiuela Moli, 3. Ale Loman; 4 Elliott Stooke, 5 James Thompson; 6 Osian Thomas, 7 Samuel Williams, 8 George Marsh.

Replacements: 16. Marcus Southwell, 17 Kieran Ryan, 18 Diamond Ayiehfor, 19 Tom Manz, 20 Joshua Manz, 21 James Townsend, 22 Oscar Talbot, 23 Ollie Myall.