Ford and Youngs are rested but Wiese is back after ban
GEORGE Ford and Ben Youngs have not been named in Leicester Tigers’ squad that will aim to claim Heineken Champions Cup victory in Connacht this afternoon (3.15pm).
The England half-back pairing are missing from head coach Steve Borthwick’s line-up, but Tigers can still name two internationals in their place as Freddie Burns and Richard Wigglesworth get the nod.
There’s a return for Springboks number eight Jasper Wiese after his two-game ban for a hat-trick of yellow cards, but once more, his fellow countrymen and back row colleagues Hanro Liebenberg and Marco van Staden are not selected.
George Martin also misses out for a second consecutive game.
Kini Murimurivalu and Nic Dolly, who have been named as back-row replacements against Newcastle Falcons and Wasps, are selected on the wing and at hooker respectively, as academy forward Tom Manz is called up for the first time to man the bench while loosehead prop Francois van Wyk is one of two loosehead props among the replacements with James Whitcombe.
England full-back Freddie Steward switches from the wing to accommodate Australian Bryce Hegarty, as Nemani Nadolo misses out for a third straight game while
Harry Potter and Guy Porter are rotated out of the squad.
Connacht have named Jack Carty, who was man of the match when the sides met at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, at fly-half with fellow Ireland international Bundee Aki alongside him at inside centre.
“They have a tough forward pack, with a hard-working back row, and some exceptional players in their backline with pace out wide,” said Borthwick. “Connacht are a dangerous side and play some excellent attacking rugby, which causes issues for their opposition when they move the ball around.”
CONNACHT: 15. Tiernan O’Halloran, 14. John Porch, 13. Sam Arnold, 12. Bundee Aki, 11. Matt Healy, 10. Jack Carty (c), 9. Kieran Marmion, 1. Matthew Burke, 2. Shane Delahunt, 3.
Finlay Bealham, 4. Oisin Dowling, 5. Niall Murray, 6. Cian Prendergast, 7. Conor Oliver, 8. Jarrad Butler. Replacements: 16. David Heffernan,
17. Tietie Tuimauga, 18. Jack Aungier,
19. Ultan Dillane, 20. Paul Boyle, 21. Caolin Blade, 22. Conor Fitzgerald, 23. Tom Farrell
LEICESTER TIGERS: 15. Bryce Hegarty, 14. Freddie Steward, 13. Matt Scott, 12. Juan Pablo Socino, 11. Kini Murimurivalu, 10. Freddie Burns, 9. Richard Wigglesworth, 1. Ellis Genge (c), 2. Nic Dolly, 3. Joe Heyes, 4. Harry Wells, 5. Calum Green, 6. Ollie Chessum, 7. Tommy Reffell, 8. Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16. Charlie Clare, 17. James Whitcombe, 18. Nephi Leatigaga, 19. Tom Manz, 20. Francois van Wyk, 21. Jack van Poortvliet, 22. Dan Kelly, 23. Hosea Saumaki