Genge to skipper Tigers for first time against Scarlets tonight
SCARLETS FIXTURE IS CLUB’S FINAL WARM-UP MATCH FOR NEW SEASON ANALYSIS AND REACTION TO TIGERS’ MATCH AGAINST SCARLETS – IN SATURDAY’S MERCURY
LEICESTER Tigers welcome back Ellis Genge and George Ford for their final friendly fixture tonight ahead of the 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership season.
Both of the England internationals missed out on the wins against Jersey Reds and the Dragons, but will go from the start against Scarlets (7pm kick-off) at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Genge leads Tigers for the first time since being named club captain, while British and Irish Lions centre Jonathan Davies skippers the visitors.
Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick has named 13 players on his bench, which includes Richard Wigglesworth, who was confirmed as a player/coach for the season ahead earlier this week.
Genge, right, starts at loosehead prop in a front row alongside his predecessor as captain Tom Youngs and fellow international Dan Cole.
Calum Green is included in a new-look second-row pairing with Eli Snyman, with George Martin, Tommy Reffell and vicecaptain Hanro Liebenberg linking up in the Leicester back row.
Ben Youngs, who featured from the bench in the first pre-season outing in Jersey, starts at scrumhalf.
Ford, who was rested from England’s summer Test series, is named at fly-half.
Dan Kelly and Matt Scott make their first appearance together of the new campaign in the Tigers midfield.
Freddie Steward is named on the wing and is joined by Nemani Nadolo and Bryce Hegarty – in his first appearance at Mattioli Woods Welford Road since arriving at the club during the off-season – in the Tigers back three.
On an extended bench, Borthwick has included front-rowers Nic Dolly, Francois van Wyk and Nephi Leatigaga as well as fellow forwards Cameron Henderson,
Ollie Chessum and Gareth Evans. Among the backs is Wigglesworth, Freddie Burns, Juan Pablo Socino, Guy Porter, Kini Murimurivalu, Harry Potter and Hosea Saumaki.
Borthwick said: “We have another chance to give players game time ahead of the new season including a handful who have not yet featured this preseason.
“We have a few new combinations, as well as some players in different positions to usual, which is a positive for us as we continue to build competition for places in this squad.”
TIGERS STARTING XV: 15 Bryce Hegarty, 14 Freddie Steward,
13 Matt Scott, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Ellis Genge (c), 2 Tom Youngs, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Calum Green, 5 Eli Snyman, 6 George Martin, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Hanro Liebenberg (vc).