Newcastle are searching for a second win this season and have made six changes for the visit of Bristol.
Brett Connon starts at fly-half, props Murray McCallum and Adam Brocklebank come in and there’s a new look second-row pairing with Finn Baker making his first league start alongside Freddie Clarke.
The Bears have named three changes of their own for the trip north, with Noah Heward, Matias Moroni and Harry Randall all switching from the bench to the starting XV as they look to back up the win over Gloucester.
Wing Louis Rees-Zammit and flanker Santiago Grondona remain unavailable because of injury and are expected to return in time for the visit of Saracens on 2 May.
Newcastle: Hodge; Wade, Hearle, Beeckmans, Obatoyinbo; Connon, Elliott; Brocklebank, Fletcher, McCallum; Hodgson, Baker, Clarke, Christie (c), Parsons.
Replacements: Adejimi, Rewcastle, Palframan, Hawkins, Mafi, Stuart, Healy, Bolam.
Bristol: Lane; Heward, Moroni, Janse van Rensburg, Ibitoye; Jordan, Randall; Genge, Oghre, Kloska; Dun, Batley, Owen, Harding (c), Grondona.
Replacements: Thacker, Woolmore, Lahiff, Taylor, Cripps, Wolstenholme, Williams, Ravouvou.
