Premiership team news

Semi Radradra will be back in action for Bristol

Bristol are boosted by the return of Semi Radradra for their clash against Harlequins, while Tom Curry returns for Sale’s clash against Wasps on Sunday.

Harlequins vs Bristol

Academy star Louis Lynagh will make his first Premiership start, with the teenage son of former Australia fly-half Michael slotting in on the wing. Quins show six changes from their defeat to Racing 92, with Jordan Els replacing the rested England star Joe Marler at prop.

Fiji superstar Semi Radradra will make his first league appearance of the season for Bristol, in one of five changes from last weekend’s win over Connacht. Steven Luatua captains the side on his first Premiership outing of the campaign, with England men Kyle Sinckler and Ben Earl starting a mandatory two-week break.

Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 James Lang, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Ross Chisholm, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care, 1 Jordan Els, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Wilco Louw, 4 Dino Lamb, 5 Glen Young, 6 James Chisholm, 7 Will Evans, 8 Alex Dombrandt (c)

Replacements: 16 Elia Elia, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Hugh Tizard, 20 Tom Lawday, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Lennox Anyanwu, 23 Tyrone Green

Bristol Bears: 15 Max Malins, 14 Siva Naulago, 13 Semi Radradra, 12 Piers O’Conor, 11 Ioan Lloyd, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Harry Randall, 1 Yann Thomas, 2 Will Capon, 3 John Afoa, 4 Dave Attwood, 5 Ed Holmes, 6 Steven Luatua (c), 7 Dan Thomas, 8 Nathan Hughes

Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Jake Heenan, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Alapati Leiua, 23 Niyi Adeolokun

Exeter vs Gloucester

Exeter have “doubled up” their coronavirus testing to get back into action after a Covid-19 outbreak. Ian Whitten starts in place of Henry Slade at centre following the 42-0 home win over Glasgow on December 13, with last weekend’s Champions Cup trip to Toulouse cancelled due to that Covid outbreak at the Sandy Park club.

Gloucester’s Jonny May

Gloucester head down to Devon with England wing Jonny May and former Leicester prop Fraser Balmain slotting into the starting XV.

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds (c), 9 Jack Maunder, 1 Ben Moon, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Harry Williams, 4 Jonny Gray, 5 Sam Skinner, 6 Dave Ewers, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 8 Sam Simmonds

Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Don Armand, 20 Richard Capstick, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Tom Hendrickson

Gloucester: 15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Jonny May, 10 Lloyd Evans, 9 Charlie Chapman, 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin, 2 Jack Singleton, 3 Fraser Balmain, 4 Ed Slater, 5 Matias Alemanno, 6 Jordy Reid, 7 Lewis Ludlow (c), 8 Ruan Ackermann

Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Seb Nagle-Taylor, 21 Toby Venner, 22 George Barton, 23 Tom Seabrook

Northampton vs Worcester

Lewis Ludlam steps into Northampton’s line-up as co-captain. Wales fly-half Dan Biggar also starts for Chris Boyd’s men, who show eight changes to their starting XV.

Biggar in action for the Saints

Tighthead prop Nick Schonert and England flanker Matt Kvesic are back from injury to start for Worcester. Marco Mama moves to No 8 to accommodate Kvesic’s return at openside, while Justin Clegg and Andrew Kitchener pair up at centre.

Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank, 14 Matt Proctor, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Ahsee Tuala, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell, 1 Alex Waller (cc), 2 Sam Matavesi, 3 Paul Hill, 4 David Ribbans, 5 Nick Isiekwe, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Lewis Ludlam (cc), 8 Teimana Harrison

Replacements: 16 Mikey Haywood, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Alex Moon, 20 Shaun Adendorff, 21 Tom James, 22 Tom Collins, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro

Worcester Warriors: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Nick David, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Francois Hougaard, 1 Ethan Waller, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Justin Clegg, 5 Andrew Kitchener, 6 Ted Hill (c), 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Marco Mama

Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Marc Thomas, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Joe Batley, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Oli Morris

Sale vs Wasps

New Sale head coach Paul Deacon has restored England flanker Tom Curry to a Sharks line-up showing eight changes from last weekend’s Edinburgh clash.

Tom Curry is back in the mix for the Sharks

Will Rowlands and Tom West step into the Wasps pack, with Lee Blackett making three changes from last weekend’s European win over Montpellier. Michael Le Bourgeois starts in the centres, with Jimmy Gopperth dropping to the bench.

Sale Sharks: 15 Sam James, 14 Luke James, 13 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Marland Yarde, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Faf de Klerk (c), 1 Valerey Morozov, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 4 Matt Postlethwaite, 4 Matt Postlethwaite, 5 JP du Preez, 6 Cobus Wiese, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Daniel du Preez,

Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Will-Griff John, 19 James Phillips, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Robert du Preez, 23 Tom Roebuck

Wasps: 15 Lima Sopoaga, 14 Zach Kibirige, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Will Porter, 1 Tom West, 2 Tom Cruse, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 James Gaskell, 6 Ben Morris, 7 Thomas Young (c), 8 Alfie Barbeary,

Replacements: 16 Tommy Taylor, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 19 Levi Douglas, 20 Tom Willis, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Jimmy Gopperth, 23 Juan de Jongh