Preview: Wasps v Northampton

Joe Launchbury has recovered from injury to play for the first time since September as Wasps host Northampton at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday.

The England lock has been absent with knee and neck problems over the past several months but will make his long-awaited return in Round 12 of the Premiership this weekend.

Meanwhile, hooker Tom Cruse is set for his 50th appearance for the club as he is joined by Jake Cooper-Woolley and Georgian prop Zurabi Zhvania in the front-row.

In the backs, Springbok Juan de Jongh returns to the starting line-up in place of Michael Le Bourgeois while Nathan Hughes returns to the match-day 23 after missing last weekend through a family bereavement.

Gaby Lovobalavu’s impressive showing in the Premiership Rugby Shield clash for Wasps A against Northampton Wanderers sees him recalled to the squad among the replacements.

Meanwhile, Northampton director of rugby Chris Boyd has made four changes to his line-up.

Flanker Tom Wood will lead Saints – bidding for their third away win in the Premiership this season – from the blindside.

Lewis Ludlam and number eight Teimana Harrison continue in the line-up at the base of the scrum, while locks Courtney Lawes and David Ribbans are again selected together in the engine room.

Boyd has made two changes to his front-row as props Francois Van Wyk and Ehren Painter come into the side, but hooker Reece Marshall is rewarded for an impressive all-around showing last weekend with another start.

Fraser Dingwall starts at outside centre in the only change to Northampton’s back-line, with Piers Francis ruled out through injury.

Form: Wasps’ only victory in their last thirteen first team fixtures was 32-28 at home to Bristol in Round 8 of Premiership Rugby.Wasps’ only other home win in any other tournament this season was against Leicester in Round 3 of Premiership Rugby. Northampton Saints have won their last four matches including a walkover awarded to them for their aborted trip to Romania in Round 4 of the European Challenge Cup. Saints have won twice away from home in Premiership Rugby this season, at Bristol in Round 5 and at Worcester in Round 10. Northampton’s victory over Wasps at Franklin’s Gardens in Round 7 was the first over their local rivals in their last six Premiership Rugby meetings. They have not achieved a season’s double over Wasps since 2013/14. Northampton’s only previous victory at Ricoh Arena was by a single point in the Premiership Rugby Cup in November.

The teams:

Wasps: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Josh Bassett, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Tom Cruse, 1 Zurabi Zhvania
Replacements: 16 Antonio Harris, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Craig Hampson, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Gaby Lovobalavu

Northampton Saints: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Tom Collins, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Lewis Ludlam, 6 Tom Wood (c), 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Ehren Painter, 2 Reece Marshall, 1 Francois van Wyk
Replacements: 16 James Fish, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Ben Franks, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 Heinrich Brüssow, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 James Grayson, 23 Andrew Kellaway

Venue: Ricoh Arena
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson, Wayne Falla
TMO: Geoff Warren