Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints: Full team news for Saturday's cup clash

The prop, who rejoined Saints from Worcester Warriors during the summer, will start for the first time this season, having previously made four appearances off the bench.

Waller will be part of a front row that also includes Robbie Smith and Ehren Painter.

Tom Lockett partners Brandon Nansen in the second row, while Kayde Sylvester, Angus Scott-Young and Geordie Irvine, who was man of the match for Bedford Blues last weekend, made up the back row.

Callum Braley skippers Saints for the third time in this season’s cup competition from scrum-half.

Joel Matavesi starts in the No.10 jersey, having deputised at fly-half in the second half of Saints’ cup clash with Harlequins at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.

There is plenty of top-level experience in the back three as Tom Collins and Courtnall Skosan are on the wings, with James Ramm at full-back.

Ethan Grayson and Tom Litchfield are the centre partnership.

Prop Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi and hooker Callum Burns could make their first appearances of the season if they enter the action from the bench, while there’s also room among the replacements for Under-18s players Henry Pollock and Archie McParland.

Matthew Arden, James Fish, James Grayson, Aaron Hinkley, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, George Patten, Ollie Sleightholme and Karl Wilkins are unavailable for selection.

Sam Matavesi is with Fiji and David Ribbans is with England.

Saints will be travelling north with a place in the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-finals within reach.

While victory will not necessarily guarantee a knock-out berth, it would put Saints in the driving seat and keeps hopes of a home semi-final alive depending on results elsewhere.

The black, green and gold edged out Falcons 32-31 in a nail-biting encounter when the sides met in the Gallagher Premiership back in October.

And with the last six meetings between the two clubs in Newcastle being evenly split with three wins apiece, Saints will expect another tricky assignment this weekend.

Newcastle Falcons: Alex Tait (c); Iwan Stephens, Zach Kerr, Ewan Greenlaw, Nathan Earle; Tian Schoeman, Josh Barton; Conrad Cade, Jamie Blamire, Mark Tampin; Jamie Berrisford, Sebastian de Chaves; Freddie Lockwood, Guy Pepper, Tom Marshall.

Replacements: Charlie Maddison, Mark Dormer, Richard Palframan, Rory Ward, Marcus Tiffen, Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, Josh Thomas, Vereimi Qorowale.

Saints: Ramm; Skosan, E Grayson, Litchfield, Collins; J Matavesi, Braley (c); E Waller, R Smith, Painter; Lockett, Nansen; Sylvester, Scott-Young, Irvine.

Replacements: Burns, Hobbs-Awoyemi, Petch, Atuanya, Pollock, McParland, Thame, Hendy.