Pollock, 19, starts for Northampton against Castres

European Champions Cup: Northampton Saints v Castres

Venue: Cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens Date: Saturday, 7 December Kick-off: 15:15 GMT

Coverage: Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, and BBC Sounds, follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.

Flanker Henry Pollock is rewarded for his impressive form with a first European start for Northampton Saints in their Investec Champions Cup opener against Castres on Saturday.

The 19-year-old, who helped England win World Rugby's Under-20 Championship in July, picked up the player-of-the-match award for England A in their win over Australia A last month.

England scrum-half Alex Mitchell will start his first game of the season after coming off the bench in Saturday's Premiership defeat by Gloucester, which marked his return from a neck injury.

Mitchell will renew his half-back partnership with Fin Smith, who will make his 50th Saints appearance, after the pair helped Northampton to their first Premiership title since 2014 last season.

Captain George Furbank is rested following his involvement in England's Autumn Nations Series campaign, meaning centre Fraser Dingwall takes over as skipper.

England's Tommy Freeman, despite starting all four games for Steve Borthwick's side this autumn, starts on the wing.

Ollie Sleightholme was another regular for Borthwick this autumn and starts on the opposite wing, with James Ramm at full-back in the absence of Furbank.

Phil Dowson names a new-look second-row partnership of Temo Mayanavanua and Tom Locket, while Juarno Augustus packs down at number eight.

Northampton were undefeated on their way to the semi-finals of last season's Champions Cup, before being defeated by Leinster at Croke Park.

Dowson's side last faced Castres in Europe back in 2017 when they recorded a 28-21 victory.

Castres sit sixth in the Top 14 and have named Uruguay scrum-half Santiago Arata, who captains the French side, and Fiji lock Leone Nakarawa in their starting XV.

Northampton: Ramm; Freeman, Litchfield, Dingwall (capt), Sleightholme; Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, Langdon, Millar-Mills, Mayanavanua, Lockett, Scott-Young, Pollock, Augustus.

Replacements: Wright, West, Green, Munga, Coles, Mapu, McParland, Hutchinson.

Castres: Chabouni, Raisuqe, Seguret, Dupont, Hulleu; Le Brun, Arata (capt), Guerois-Galisson, Zarantonello, Azar, Ducat, Nakarawa, Peysson, Ardron, Tukino

Replacements: Colonna, De Benedittis, Corato, Babillot, Papalii, Fernandez, Botitu, Baget.

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)