Saints replace three players in their Champions Cup squad ahead of Scarlets clash
Saints have replaced three players in their European squad ahead of Sunday's Investec Champions Cup clash with Scarlets at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens (kick-off 3.15pm).
Tom Litchfield, Curtis Langdon and James Bennett have dropped out for now, being replaced by James Martin, Marco Manfredi and Tom Lockett respectively.
Centre Litchfield is currently out with a hamstring injury and is not expected to return until the PREM Rugby Cup period that comes during the Guinness Six Nations.
Hooker Langdon has been making his way back from the shoulder surgery that he underwent last summer but won’t be available this weekend.
Lock Bennett was on loan from Loughborough and caught the eye during PREM Rugby Cup matches earlier this season.
Martin, a summer signing from Coventry, is a winger who will be hoping to get his first taste of European action on Sunday.
Italian hooker Manfredi will also be eyeing a Champions Cup debut for Saints, while powerful lock Lockett is now fit again following a leg injury.
Just because a player has been deregistered now, it does not mean they can’t return later in the competition so the likes of Litchfield and Langdon can still feature in Europe later this season should Saints want to bring them back in.