After a hard-fought Six Nations campaign, England lock Alex Coles is finally ready to hit the pitch again for Northampton Saints. The towering second-rower has fully recovered from an ankle injury that kept him sidelined since the international break, and he's set to make his first start when the league leaders host Bristol Bears on Friday night (19:45 BST).

Coles' return couldn't come at a better time for Saints, who are looking to shake off a tough defeat to local rivals Leicester last round. Northampton have made six changes to their lineup, with Coles partnering Ed Prowse in a revamped second row. Prop Elliot Millar Mills and flanker Henry Pollock also join the forward pack, while centre Tom Litchfield and scrum-half Archie McParland round out the fresh faces.

The Premiership title race is heating up with just three rounds remaining, and six teams are still battling for those precious top-four playoff spots. Currently, only seven points separate Exeter in fourth from Saracens in sixth, while the gap between first-place Saints and third-place Leicester is a mere five points. The battle for home semi-final advantage is wide open.

For Bristol, the injury woes continue. Wing Gabriel Ibitoye has been ruled out for the rest of the season after last weekend's loss to Saracens. However, there's good news as Louis Rees-Zammit returns from illness and a knock that kept him out for three games, slotting straight into Ibitoye's spot. Rich Lane is also back from a hamstring issue to start at full-back, while James Williams and Harry Randall take charge in the centre and at scrum-half respectively.

Northampton will be hoping to extend their impressive unbeaten run at Franklin's Gardens, which has now stretched beyond a year. With Coles anchoring the pack and the playoffs in sight, Saints fans have plenty to be excited about.