Director of rugby Richard Cockerill has named England World Cup squad members Dan Cole, Tom Croft, Thomas Waldrom, Toby Flood and Manu Tuilagi in the line-up for the home game against the Anglo-Welsh cup holders.
Argentina duo Marcos Ayerza and Horacio Agulla are also back in a team led by skipper Geordan Murphy. Alesana Tuilagi, who returned from his World Cup campaign with Samoa in time to make his seasonal debut in the last home game against Harlequins, also has a starting place. England lock Louis Deacon is named among the replacements.
“The World Cup players have all been back in training this week and they are all very keen to get back out and play for us,” said Cockerill.
“We’ve had a tough start to the season and we have to start winning games, on one knows that better than us.
“The return of the internationals allows us to pick from a position of strength with more competition for places. It’s great for the club and for the supporters to have them back and we now have to kick on.”
Only Martin Castrogiovanni and Ben Youngs of the World Cup contingent remain sidelined.
“Castro has had a bit of a hamstring injury and we want to make sure that is right before we push him back in and Ben has returned from the World Cup unfit to play,” said Cockerill.
Niall Morris, Ed Slater and Steve Mafi are rested after playing in each of the opening seven games. Micky Young, Mathew Tait, Anthony Allen, Boris Stankovich, Julian White and Billy Twelvetrees are unavailable due to injury.
Friday’s match is included in Tigers season tickets.
Match tickets are available now from the Tigers ticket office. Phone 0844 856 1880, call in at Welford Road (open 8.30am-5pm Thursday and from 8.30am Friday) or book online and collect from the collection point outside the Caterpillar Stand on the way to the game.
Junior Tigers Club members can enjoy a special movie night from 5.45pm with a showing of 'Rango' in their area of the Final Whistle. Vouchers have been emailed to JTC members. Supporters under the age of 16 can sign up cvia the club website. One JTC member will also be able to lead out the team in a special mascot competition.
Leicester Tigers (v Gloucester Rugby, LV= Cup Round 2, Welford Road, Friday 7.45pm)
15 Geordan Murphy (c)
14 Horacio Agulla
13 Matt Smith
12 Manusamoa Tuilagi
11 Alesana Tuilagi
10 Toby Flood
9 Sam Harrison
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs
3 Dan Cole
4 George Skivington
5 Geoff Parling
6 Tom Croft
7 Julian Salvi
8 Thomas Waldrom
Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Jonny Harris
18 Ryan Bower
19 Louis Deacon
20 Ben Woods
21 James Grindal
22 Scott Hamilton
23 George Ford
Gloucester Rugby give starts to five World Cup players and full-back Olly Morgan returns from injury.
Gloucester Rugby: Olly Morgan; James Simpson-Daniel, Henry Trinder, Lesley Vainikolo, Tom Voyce; Freddie Burns, Rory Lawson; Dan Murphy, Scott Lawson, Rupert Harden; Will James, Jim Hamilton; Alasdair Strokosch, Akapusi Qera, Luke Narraway (c). Replacements: Darren Dawidiuk, Nick Wood, Shaun Knight, Tom Savage, Peter Buxton, Dave Lewis, Tim Taylor, Jonny May
