NEWCASTLE FALCONS skipper Will Welch insists his side will have no fear when they kick off their 2015 schedule with an away game at league leaders Northampton Saints tomorrow night.

Having run both Harlequins and Saracens close in their last two outings, Falcons’ testing run continues as they head to Franklin’s Gardens looking to improve on their current position of 11th in the table.

With London Welsh cut adrift at the bottom of the table, Dean Richards’ side are at no risk of relegation in the second half of the season, so the challenge will be to show they are capable of forcing themselves into the pack of clubs threatening to mix it with the established giants of the English game.

A win over Northampton would go a long way towards proving just that, and while the Saints have suffered just two Aviva Premiership defeats all season, Welch is adamant that Falcons are capable of pushing the reigning champions all the way.

“We are in a pretty good place at the moment,” said the skipper. “To push a quality team like Sarries so close was a good marker of where we are, and had we kept our discipline at times and got ourselves in the right areas we could have come away with the win.

“It is testament to all the boys and how we are playing at the moment that we could run them as close, and hopefully we can build on that performance.”

Chris Harris, who was recently recalled from a loan spell at Championship side Rotherham, was the star of the show against Saracens, coming off the bench to score two tries as Falcons rallied to claim a losing bonus point.

The winger has been promoted to the starting line-up for tomorrow’s game, and Welch is hoping his pace and energy cause Northampton problems.

“For Chris to get two tries on his Premiership debut was outstanding, especially against a top side like Sarries,” he said. “As well as his tries, he brought an energy and enthusiasm to his game and the lads really fed off that.

“He barely put a foot wrong, and it says a lot about a squad when the young lads come in and step up. You can see that quality from the way in which our development team have made it through to the semi-finals of the A League.

“We have a squad whereby everybody is pushing each other, and that ensures the standards are high and it’s a great place to be.”

Harris’ promotion is one of six changes to the side that came within a successful conversion of drawing with Sarries, with Samoan heavyweight Andy Tuilagi set to make his first Falcons start following his summer move to Tyneside.

Danny Barnes is recalled on the wing, with Richard Mayhew returning following an injury lay-off that has sidelined him since November.

Italy international Josh Furno partners Calum Green in the second row with Kane Thompson missing out because of suspension, while American Eric Fry steps up from the replacements’ bench to take over from Rob Vickers at loose-head for a game that will be televised live on BT Sport.

Newcastle Falcons: Tait, Harris, Powell, Anitelea Tuilagi, Barnes, Catterick, Blair; Fry, Lawson, Brookes, Green, Furno, R Mayhew, Welch, M Wilson.

Replacements: McGuigan, Vickers, Rogers, MacLeod, Saull, Tipuna, Clegg, Penny.