England centre Manu Tuilagi was set to make his long-awaited comeback from injury in the Aviva Premiership clash between Leicester and Northampton at Welford Road.
The Tigers star, who has not played since October 2014 because of a serious groin injury, was drafted on to Leicester's replacements' bench instead of Vereniki Goneva.
And it promised to be a potentially timely return, given the expected presence at the game of England head coach Eddie Jones just five days before he announces his first elite player squad since succeeding Stuart Lancaster.
Many Tuilagi (above in a file image) makes his long-awaited return for Leicester on Saturday at Welford Road
Jones, though, would not be seeing Northampton hooker - and possible new England captain - Dylan Hartley in action as a rib injury sidelined him from selected bench duty.
Hartley has been widely touted as a possible England captaincy successor to Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw.
England open their RBS 6 Nations campaign against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 6.
England centre Tuilagi, who hasn't played since October 2014, is named on the bench for Northampton match
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