Northampton Saints v London Welsh: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 08/05/15 2:30pm
Northampton Saints should secure a home Aviva Premiership semi-final when they host relegated London Welsh on Saturday.
The reigning champions have already booked their place in the last-four but victory over the Exiles will secure a top-two finish.
Jim Mallinder has named the same 23 players that were included in their victory over Saracens in the last round, with three changes to the starting line-up.
Lee Dickson replaces Kahn Fotuali’I at scrum-half while Alex Waller and Gareth Denman come into the front-row in place of Alex Corbisiero and Salesi Ma’afu respectively.
London Welsh have lost 20 successive Premiership games, including a 43-14 defeat at home to Saints last November, and they face two of the top three sides in their two remaining fixtures.
Captain Tom May will make his 246th Premiership appearance at Franklin’s Gardens, moving him ahead of third-placed Hugh Vyvyan.
May replaces the injured James Lewis at inside centre with Paul Rowley named at scrum-half, while Opeti Fonua starts at No 8 in place of the suspended Chris Hala’ufia.
Northampton Saints: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Jamie Elliott, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson; 1 Alex Waller, 2 Dylan Hartley (c), 3 Gareth Denman, 4 Courtney Lawes, 5 Christian Day, 6 Tom Wood, 7 Calum Clark, 8 Samu Manoa.
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Salesi Ma’afu, 19 Sam Dickinson, 20 Jon Fisher, 21 Kahn Fotuali’I, 22 Tom Stephenson, 23 James Wilson.
London Welsh: 15 Seb Jewell, 14 Alan Awcock, 13 Nic Reynolds, 12 Tom May (c), 11 Chris Elder, 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Paul Rowley; 1 Nathan Trevett, 2 Koree Britton, 3 Ben Cooper, 4 Ben West, 5 Matt Corker, 6 Daniel Browne, 7 Darren Waters, 8 Opeti Fonua.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Morris, 17 Eddie Aholelei, 18 Jack Gilding, 19 James Down, 20 Josh McNally, 21 Jesse Liston, 22 Rob Lewis, 23 Will Robinson.
