Edging toward half-time at Kingsholm and no prizes for guessing who will be the happier with the scoreline.

That said, Gloucester have a line-out in the Bristol 22...

Seven minutes gone and Freddie Burns nails his kick from the tee, to the left.

Advantage Tigers.

Eventually penalty goes Leicester's way, Freddie Burns looks for the tee

Perhaps to be expected with Northampton down to 14, but Leicester have been the more adventurous of the two teams in the opening phases.

Tigers go for the line-out and a catch and drive...

How important could that be for Gloucester? Missed the chance to half the arrears, and James Hook is an experienced kicker... still Bristol's half so far.

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Luther Burrell goes to the sin-bin after TWO minutes. High shot. Northampton down to 14. Leicester go for touch.

Early mistake by Stephen Myler, shake of the head from the experienced half-back.

Scrum Leicester. This will be a tasty old battle today.

The whistle is blown, Leicester whack it downfield and Northampton get themselves going in this East Mids derby.

Everyone's out now at Welford Road, packed out and pumped.

JP Doyle the referee...

Have to say Bristol don't look like a team that has lost it's last nine league games.

Impressive display.

Teams are in the sheds, final preparations before they come out onto the field.

Tingle of excitement around Welford Road. It's gonna be big!

Gloucester go so close to the Bristol line but concede a penalty while camped on the line.

Bristol celebrate it like a try. Huge defensive play.

Charlie Sharples went for a high kick that skews off his boot. Sums up Gloucester's day so far!

Bristol still clattering forwards.

Sighter of space for Gloucester after a towering up and under came down but Matt Scott's kick had a bit too much on it to pop up for Charlie Sharples.

Suffocating line-speed for the most part and it has made open rugby difficult.

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Northampton make four changes as George North and Louis Picamoles return to the side after international duty.

JJ Hanrahan makes his first appearance of the season while prop Paul Hill replaces the suspended Kieran Brookes.

Northampton: Foden (capt); Elliott, Burrell, Hanrahan, North; Myler, Kessell; Waller, Haywood, Hill, Paterson, Craig, Gibson, Nutley, Picamoles.

Replacements: Clare, Waller, Denman, Ratuniyarawa, Ludlam, Groom, G Pisi, K Pisi.

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Leicester are without full-back Telusa Veainu, who suffered a concussion while on international duty with Tonga.

Manu Tuilagi is again named among the replacements, while Logovi'i Mulipola, Jono Kitto and Brendon O'Connor return to the starting line-up.

Tom Youngs has withdrawn from the team with a back spasm. He is replaced by Harry Thacker with George McGuigan taking his place on the bench.

Leicester: Worth; Thompstone, Betham, Williams, Brady; Burns, Kitto; Mulipola, Thacker, Bateman, Slater, Kitchener, Fitzgerald, O'Connor, Hamilton.

Replacements: McGuigan, Genge, Cilliers, McCaffrey, Evans, Harrison, Tuilagi, Pietersen.

Clipped over, second success by Jason Woodward. Big effort from Bristol.

Gloucester fans in full voice but their players not matching that effort so far!

Penalty against Gloucester's Jacob Rowan, and Bristol might go for the posts this time.

Real assault on the Gloucester line, they will get some reward.

Not the evening for the Cherry and Whites so far.

Gloucester survive the driving maul but Bristol push the ball around the fringes... still no way through but still visitors in possession!

Bristol go for touch... catch and drive coming!