We’re facing an incredible team in Champions Cup – Borthwick

STEWARD AND YOUNGS MISSING FOR TIGERS’ FIRST MATCH IN TOP EURO COMPETITION

ENGLAND internationals Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs have been left out of Leicester Tigers’ return to Heineken Champions Cup action against Union Bordeaux-Bègles this afternoon (3.15pm).

Head coach Steve Borthwick did not include the pair in his 23-man squad that features 11 players set to make their debuts in the competition at Stade ChabanDelmas.

As expected, vice-captain Hanro Liebenberg misses out after suffering another shoulder injury last time out against Harlequins.

However, the changes run even deeper as Julian Montoya and Nemani Nadolo miss out altogether while Dan Cole, Harry Wells and Marco van Staden rotate on to the bench.

Ollie Chessum starts in the second row alongside Calum Green, while Jack van Poortvliet and George Ford are the starting halfbacks, with Matt Scott and Guy Porter the midfield pairing.

Club captain Ellis Genge starts at loosehead prop alongside fellow England internationals Nic Dolly and Joe Heyes.

In the Tigers back-three, Hosea Saumaki and Harry Potter are the wings and Bryce Hegarty the starting full-back.

Richard Wigglesworth, Juan Pablo Socino and Kini Murimurivalu are the backs included among the Leicester replacements.

Previewing their European opener, Borthwick, right, said: “When you look at Bordeaux – their squad, coaching team and the budget they operate, their win against Toulose last weekend – they are an incredible team.

“More than half of the players selected for this game will make their first appearance in this competition.

“We will learn a lot about ourselves in Bordeaux, it is a great experience for us against one of the competition’s leading sides.

“Each week, I want to see a performance from the players selected to represent the club that our supporters will be proud of, whether they are in the stands in France or watching on from home.”

Leicester Tigers: 15 Bryce Hegarty, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Guy Porter, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Hosea Saumaki, 10 George Ford, 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 1 Ellis Genge (c), 2 Nic Dolly, 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Ollie Chessum, 5 Calum Green, 6 George Martin, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Jasper Wiese.

Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Whitcombe, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Juan Pablo Socino, 23 Kini Murimurivalu

Union Bordeaux-Begles: 15 Nans Ducuing, 14 Federico Mori, 13 Jean-Baptiste Dubié, 12 Yoram Falatea-Moefana, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Maxime Lucu, 1 Jefferson Poirot (c), 2 Clement Maynadier, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 4 Kane Douglas,

5 Thomas Jolmes,

6 Cameron Woki,

7 Bastien Vergnes,

8 Louis Picamoles

Replacements:

16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Thierry Paiva, 18 Lekso Kaulashvili, 19 Alban Roussel, 20 Alexandre Roumat,

21 Yann Lesgourgues, 22 Ulupano Seuteni, 23 Santiago Cordero