Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons: Full team news for Saturday's Gallagher Premiership game

Dan Biggar was added to to injury list earlier this week, with Saints confirming that he is having a knee issue, picked up in the win at Wasps last Sunday, assessed.

Courtney Lawes was already out due to concussion, and now Tommy Freeman and Courtnall Skosan have been placed on the ‘not considered for selection’ list.

Mike Haywood, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi and Karl Wilkins are also part of an 11-man group of sidelined players.

That means boss Phil Dowson is forced to make six changes to his side for this weekend’s game.

Fraser Dingwall will captain Saints as Lewis Ludlam drops to the bench. Aaron Hinkley comes in at seven.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is among the replacements as David Ribbans makes his first league start of the season, in the second row.

Juarno Augustus is back in at No.8, replacing Sam Graham, who is not in the matchday squad.

James Grayson comes in for Biggar at fly-half, having delivered a hugely impressive 27-minute appearance in the Premiership Rugby Cup win against Harlequins on Tuesday night.

Rory Hutchinson replaces Matt Proctor at centre, while Tom Collins comes in for Freeman on the wing.

Ollie Sleightholme continues in the other wide berth as he makes his 50th Saints appearance.

Callum Braley and young full-back George Hendy will be on the bench.

For Newcastle, Sebastian de Chaves starts in place of Greg Peterson, with Tom Penny and George McGuigan named as co-captains in the absence of Will Welch.

Freddie Lockwood makes his first start of the season at No 8 as Callum Chick joins the Falcons’ injured list, while Matthew Dalton makes his Premiership debut in the second row.

There is a return at fly-half for fit-again Brett Connon, with Ben Stevenson and Pete Lucock coming into the centres.

Argentina’s Mateo Carreras continues on the wing after a start to the season which has seen him score four tries in as many games.

On the bench, there could be a first-team debut for 19-year-old flanker Guy Pepper.

Saints: Furbank; Collins, Dingwall (c), Hutchinson, Sleightholme; Grayson, Mitchell; A Waller, Matavesi, Hill, Ribbans, Moon; Coles, Hinkley, Augustus.

Replacements: Smith, E Waller, Petch, Salakaia-Loto, Ludlam, Braley, Proctor, Hendy.

Newcastle Falcons: Penny (cc); Radwan, Stevenson, Lucock, Carreras; Connon, Stuart; Brocklebank, McGuigan (cc), Palframan; Dalton, de Chaves; Robinson, Collett, Lockwood.

Replacements: Blamire, Mulipola, Tampin, Merrick, Pepper, Young, Schoeman, Wacokecoke.