Northampton v Bordeaux-Begles: Courtney Lawes & Dan Biggar return for Champions Cup

Courtney Lawes has not played since injuring his ankle against Sale in September

Courtney Lawes and Dan Biggar will make their first Northampton appearances of the season after being named in the starting XV to face Bordeaux-Begles in Saints' Heineken Champions Cup opener.

Lawes has been out since September with an ankle injury, while Biggar started four of Wales' Tests during the autumn.

George Furbank returns at full-back on Friday, with Fiji hooker Sam Matavesi in the front row.

Wing Taqele Naiyaravoro will make his first start of the season.

Lewis Ludlam misses out in the back row with a shin injury.

Northampton, whose loss at Bristol last Friday was their 10th in a row, will play Bordeaux-Begles, who were top of the 2019-20 Top 14 standings before the season ended because of the coronavirus pandemic, and Pro14 champions Leinster home and away as part of the pool stages in the competition's new format.

The French visitors include centre Yoram Moefana and flanker Cameron Woki, both of whom started Sunday's Autumn Nations Cup final defeat by England.

However, Matthieu Jalibert, who was at fly-half at Twickenham, is only on the bench.

Northampton Saints: Furbank; Tuala, Proctor, Hutchinson, Naiyaravoro; Biggar, Mitchell; Auterac, Matavesi, Franks, Ribbans, Isiekwe, Lawes, Wood (capt), Adendorff

Replacements: Fish, Van Wyk, Hill, Ratuniyarawa, Tonks, Taylor, Dingwall, Olowofela.

Bordeaux-Begles: Buros; Cordero, Moefana, Lamerat, Lam; Botica, Lucu; Paiva, Lamothe, Cobilas; Petti, Cazeaux; Woki, Diaby (capt), Higginbotham.

Replacements: Kaulashvili, Maynadier, Tameifuna, Marais, Tauleigne, Gimbert, Jalibert, Uberti.

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