GABRIEL FULCHER makes his long awaited debut for London Irish at Northampton this afternoon. The huge lock is seen as the solution to many of the pack problems which beset London Irish last year and he is expected to make his presence felt in the line out.

Fulcher's appearance, last week he sat on the bench after a minor training injury, means that the London Irish field seven men with Irish international credentials. Fellow international Jeremy Davidson moves from the second row to blindside flanker which means that there is no room for Ciaran Bird.

Coach Clive Woodward has otherwise resisted changes to the side which lost by a point to Bristol last week, after throwing away the game in the final 15 minutes.

Several names though, including David Humphreys and Victor Costello, will be well aware that Woodward is prepared to swing the axe if they turn in another inept performance.

Northampton's Jonathan Bell is looking to consolidate on his promising start to the season which saw him run in two tries' last week.

The battle between the centres should be one of the highlights of the match with the Exiles' freshly shorn Rob Henderson aiming to persuade Murray Kidd that it should be he, not Bell, who should be in his plans.

A deluge of points is expected with Northampton's impressive attack countered by their lack of defence. Last year in the second division they did not have to worry about that aspect of their game but they conceded 20 points last week against strugglers West Hartlepool.

Leicester's Niall Malone gets his wish and moves from being a makeshift centre back to his normal position of fly half for club's clash with champions Bath. Simon Geoghegan will be missing from the West Country team because of the need to have surgery on his feet in the US but they have a more than adequate replacement in England wing Jon Sleightholme while club captain Phil De Glanville returns after a shoulder injury.

Paul Burke and David Corkery make their home debut for Bristol although ironically some of the Orrell visitors will be more familiar with the playing surface than them. A ground sharing agreement with soccer club Bristol Rovers has meant the Bristol rugby squad have only trained once on the Memorial Ground pitch.

On Sunday Wasps entertain Saracens at the Queen's Park Rangers ground, Loftus Road. Despite the likely appearance of international stars such as Michael Lynagh and Philippe Sella for the visitors, there must be a question mark over whether their presence will attract enough spectators to do anything better than half fill the 19,000 seater stadium.

The top attendance in the league last weekend was barely 6,000. In the second division John Gallagher finally makes his league debut for Blackheath. The former All Blacks captain has rediscovered his Irish roots and is now eligible to pull on a green shirt.

Rugby league legend Martin Offiah has his first game for Bedford in his first appearance for a rugby union club in nearly a decade.