BEN FRANKS will make his Aviva Premiership bow with London Irish in Saturday’s London Double Header clash with Wasps at Twickenham (5.30pm).
Franks makes a quick return to the stadium where he won the Rugby World Cup with New Zealand just last month, and will start alongside Tom Court and David Paice in the front row.
Eoin Sheriff partners captain Matt Symons in the second row, with Joe Trayfoot, Blair Cowan and Ofisa Treviranus making up the back row.
Scott Steele, meanwhile, returns to the side at scrum half, with Chris Noakes outside him at fly-half. Johnny Williams and Aseli Tikoirotuma line up in the centre, while the back three comprises of Tom Fowlie, Alex Lewington and Topsy Ojo.
The front row replacements are Gerard Ellis, Tom Smallbone and Leo Halavatau.
Jebb Sinclair and Luke Narraway cover the second and back row and Darren Allinson, Theo Brophy-Clews and Fergus Mulchrone are the back replacements.
“We are looking forward to the contest tomorrow and playing at one of rugby’s iconic stadiums is a real privilege,” said head coach Tom Coventry, whose Exiles side will be aiming to pick up their first league win of the season.
“We have welcomed a couple of our World Cup players back into the fold since our last Premiership match and have enjoyed a good week of preparation.
“Wasps have had an incredible last two weeks in Europe and we know the enormity of the task facing us, but it is one we are relishing.”
LONDON IRISH: Ojo; Lewington, Tikoirotuma, Williams, Fowlie, Noakes, Steele, Court, Paice, Franks, Sheriff, Symons (c), Trayfoot, Cowan, Treviranus.
Replacements: Ellis, Smallbone, Halavatau, Sinclair, Narraway, Allinson, Brophy-Clews, Mulchrone