Michael Holford and Alex Moreno will plug the gaps in the Leicester Tigers front row for Sunday's Guinness Premiership trip to Saracens (3pm kick-off). Head coach Pat Howard has kept the changes to a minimum after starting the autumn international period with a convincing win over Worcester Warriors last weekend, with Scott Bemand coming in at scrum-half as the only other change to the starting line-up.
Howard has had to go into the Sarries match without Marcos Ayerza and Martin Castrogiovanni who are now on international duty.
Tigers are without 10 players in total due to the autumn internationals, with Martin Corry, Ben Kay, Lewis Moody, George Chuter and Julian White away with England, Castrogiovanni with Italy, Ayerza with Argentina, Jim Hamilton on the verge of a first cap for Scotland from the bench, Geordan Murphy among Ireland's replacements and Seru Rabeni involved with the Pacific Islanders.
Prop David Young could make his first appearance of the season from the bench, where he is joined among the replacements by Tom Croft, making his return after fracturing his ankle in the opening-day win over Sale Sharks.
Harry Ellis is also on the bench, along with fly-half Andy Goode who was released from the England squad earlier this week after replacement duty for the match against New Zealand last weekend.
"It is a pretty similar line-up this week, though we have obviously had to make changes in the front row," said head coach Pat Howard.
"The physio and medical teams have done a great job. The only two players who are not available because of injury are Henry Tuilagi and Ollie Smith. The timing was very important to give us as many selection options as possible.
"I thought the backs played well last week and I have kept pretty much the same backline. Paul Burke distributes well and brings other players on around him, Daryl Gibson and Dan Hipkiss did well in the centres, Tom Varndell finished well and Johne Murphy is growing into that role really well.
"In the forwards, after making so many changes, Leo Cullen did a really good job as captain, Brett Deacon had a really solid game after not being in the team for a while, and I was really pleased with some of the performances."
Leicester Tigers v Saracens away, kick-off 3pm
15 Sam Vesty
14 Johne Murphy
13 Dan Hipkiss
12 Daryl Gibson
11 Tom Varndell
10 Paul Burke
9 Scott Bemand
1 Michael Holford
2 James Buckland
3 Alejandro Moreno
4 Leo Cullen (capt)
5 Louis Deacon
6 Brett Deacon
7 Shane Jennings
8 Jordan Crane
Howard has had to go into the Sarries match without Marcos Ayerza and Martin Castrogiovanni who are now on international duty.
Tigers are without 10 players in total due to the autumn internationals, with Martin Corry, Ben Kay, Lewis Moody, George Chuter and Julian White away with England, Castrogiovanni with Italy, Ayerza with Argentina, Jim Hamilton on the verge of a first cap for Scotland from the bench, Geordan Murphy among Ireland's replacements and Seru Rabeni involved with the Pacific Islanders.
Prop David Young could make his first appearance of the season from the bench, where he is joined among the replacements by Tom Croft, making his return after fracturing his ankle in the opening-day win over Sale Sharks.
Harry Ellis is also on the bench, along with fly-half Andy Goode who was released from the England squad earlier this week after replacement duty for the match against New Zealand last weekend.
"It is a pretty similar line-up this week, though we have obviously had to make changes in the front row," said head coach Pat Howard.
"The physio and medical teams have done a great job. The only two players who are not available because of injury are Henry Tuilagi and Ollie Smith. The timing was very important to give us as many selection options as possible.
"I thought the backs played well last week and I have kept pretty much the same backline. Paul Burke distributes well and brings other players on around him, Daryl Gibson and Dan Hipkiss did well in the centres, Tom Varndell finished well and Johne Murphy is growing into that role really well.
"In the forwards, after making so many changes, Leo Cullen did a really good job as captain, Brett Deacon had a really solid game after not being in the team for a while, and I was really pleased with some of the performances."
Leicester Tigers v Saracens away, kick-off 3pm
15 Sam Vesty
14 Johne Murphy
13 Dan Hipkiss
12 Daryl Gibson
11 Tom Varndell
10 Paul Burke
9 Scott Bemand
1 Michael Holford
2 James Buckland
3 Alejandro Moreno
4 Leo Cullen (capt)
5 Louis Deacon
6 Brett Deacon
7 Shane Jennings
8 Jordan Crane
Replacements
16 David Young
17 Gavin Hickie
18 Tom Croft
19 Luke Abraham
20 Harry Ellis
21 Andy Goode
22 Leon Lloyd
