Chance for youngsters to shine against Black Lions

AN EARLY announcement of the Leicester Tigers team to face the Georgian Black Lions tomorrow night was a welcome diversion for a Wednesday morning.

At least it gave more far-flung season ticket-holders facing a difficult journey on a Friday night the opportunity to decide whether such a journey to see a largely Tigers Academy side play at Welford Road was worthwhile.

Given the paucity of home games, with a 10-team Premiership and no home knock out rounds in other competitions, one would imagine that many will make the effort, but the actual attendance (rather than the more optimistic tickets sold that includes all season ticket-holders) will tell.

So, Dan McKellar has decided to test out his academy resources against what will be a fairly decent Georgian side led by ex-Tigers (and Toulon and Edinburgh) coach Richard Cockerill.

It won’t be a full Georgian side because the very best of that Nation plays in the French Top 14 and Pro D2, but it will be decent as a set of players looking to improve and to make the most of their opportunity against nominally superior opposition. Cockerill almost certainly wouldn’t mind inflicting a bloody nose on his old club.

Whether the Tigers are actually superior is a fascinating question, with the majority of Leicester’s players unfamiliar to all but the most avid fan.

There are some names everyone will know. Finn Carnduff leads the Tigers, and most would put good money on the young England U21 captain leading the club on many more occasions,

Emeka Ilione probably hasn’t had enough opportunities given that this season has turned out to be a transitional one in any case. The front row is relatively experienced given the composition of the rest of the squad.

Kieran Wilkinson, given that Charlie Atkinson was allowed to leave mid-season, is highly rated at fly-half.

Similarly, there have been glowing reports of Joseph Woodward at centre – the make-up of the squad for next season and the announced departures indicate that he will be expected to step up to Premiership level.

Côme Joussain, if only for novelty value as a player that has come from France (Dax and Stade Francais) to join Nottingham, has to be mentioned.

That’s not a journey many will take given the relative wealth of the game in the two countries! It will be an interesting night.

Hopefully, the youngsters will be competitive, and the selection is to provide chances rather than just to give the misfiring first team a rest.

STARTING XV

Elliot Gourlay, Jack Kinder, Charlie Myall, Joseph Woodward, Malekili Satala, Kieran Wilkinson, Ollie Allan, James Whitcombe, Finn TheobaldThomas, Dan Richardson, Côme Joussain, Tom Manz, Osian Thomas, Emeka Ilione, Finn Carnduff (C)

REPLACEMENTS

Archie Vanes, Cam Miell, Oliver Crane, Adam Hopkinson, Harry Beddall, Josh Goodwin, Tom Threlfall, Charlie Davies