Northampton Saints v Gloucester: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 27/11/15 10:32pm
Victor Matfield is poised to make his Northampton debut on Friday after being named on the bench for their Aviva Premiership home fixture with Gloucester.
The South Africa legend played for the Barbarians against Gloucester last week and goes straight into Jim Mallinder's match-day squad for the Franklin's Gardens contest.
Saints return to Aviva Premiership duty after back-to-back Champions Cup victories and they make just one change to the side that beat Guinness PRO12 champions Glasgow in Scotstoun last Saturday.
Kahn Fotuali'i starts at scrum-half in place of Lee Dickson, who drops to the bench alongside Matfield and Ken Pisi.
England wing Jonny May returns to the wing for Gloucester after being rested for their two Challenge Cup outings while Mariano Galarza is named in a matchday squad for the first time this season.
Rob Cook comes in at full-back and Willi Heinz rotates with Greig Laidlaw at scrum-half as the Cherry and Whites seek their third away win in four games.
Northampton: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Ahsee Tuala, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 George North, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Kahn Fotuali'I; 1 Alex Waller, 2 Mikey Haywood, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Michael Paterson, 5 Christian Day, 6 Jamie Gibson, 7 Tom Wood (c), 8 Sam Dickinson.
Replacements: 16 Matti Williams, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Victor Matfield, 20 Teimana Harrison, 21 Lee Dickson, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Ken Pisi.
Gloucester: 15 Rob Cook, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Bill Meakes, 12 James Hook, 11 Jonny May, 10 Billy Twelvetrees (c), 9 Willi Heinz; 1 Paddy McAllister, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 John Afoa, 4 Tom Savage, 5 Jeremy Thrush, 6 Ross Moriarty, 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Ben Morgan.
Replacements: 17 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Paul Doran-Jones, 19 Mariano Galarza, 20 Sione Kalamafoni, 21 Greig Laidlaw, 22 Henry Purdy, 23 Jacob Rowan.