Manu Tuilagi, Mike Fitzgerald and Brendon O'Connor return to the Leicester Tigers team for the Aviva Premiership semi-final at Saracens on Saturday (12.30pm).
Tuilagi and Fitzgerald missed the last two games of the league season, while O’Connor is named in the back row for the first time since the European Champions Cup quarter-final win over Stade Francais.
Harry Thacker, the Citizen Try of the Season winner at this week’s Aviva Premiership awards, joins international duo Marcos Ayerza and Dan Cole in the front row, while Fitzgerald and O’Connor join No8 Lachlan McCaffrey in the back row.
Telusa Veainu, named this week in the BT Sport Dream Team in recognition of his performances in his debut season in England, joins captain Mathew Tait and top try-scorer Vereniki Goneva in the back three, with Tuilagi alongside Peter Betham at centre.
Tigers make a 12th successive appearance in the knockout stages of the league season and director of rugby Richard Cockerill said: “Saracens have had a big season and we know we have to go there and put everything on the line. Both sides will have a huge amount of respect for each other.”
Leicester Tigers (v Saracens, away, Saturday 12.30pm)
15 Mathew Tait (c)
14 Telusa Veainu
13 Peter Betham
12 Manu Tuilagi
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Owen Williams
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Harry Thacker
3 Dan Cole
4 Dom Barrow
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Mike Fitzgerald
7 Brendon O’Connor
8 Lachlan McCaffrey
Replacements
16 Leonardo Ghiraldini
17 Ellis Genge
18 Logovi’i Mulipola
19 Ed Slater
20 Will Evans
21 Jono Kitto
22 Tommy Bell
23 Adam Thompstone
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Schalk Brits, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Kruis, 6 Michael Rhodes, 7 Will Fraser, 8 Billy Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Marcelo Bosch
Tuilagi and Fitzgerald missed the last two games of the league season, while O’Connor is named in the back row for the first time since the European Champions Cup quarter-final win over Stade Francais.
Harry Thacker, the Citizen Try of the Season winner at this week’s Aviva Premiership awards, joins international duo Marcos Ayerza and Dan Cole in the front row, while Fitzgerald and O’Connor join No8 Lachlan McCaffrey in the back row.
Telusa Veainu, named this week in the BT Sport Dream Team in recognition of his performances in his debut season in England, joins captain Mathew Tait and top try-scorer Vereniki Goneva in the back three, with Tuilagi alongside Peter Betham at centre.
Tigers make a 12th successive appearance in the knockout stages of the league season and director of rugby Richard Cockerill said: “Saracens have had a big season and we know we have to go there and put everything on the line. Both sides will have a huge amount of respect for each other.”
Leicester Tigers (v Saracens, away, Saturday 12.30pm)
15 Mathew Tait (c)
14 Telusa Veainu
13 Peter Betham
12 Manu Tuilagi
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Owen Williams
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Harry Thacker
3 Dan Cole
4 Dom Barrow
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Mike Fitzgerald
7 Brendon O’Connor
8 Lachlan McCaffrey
Replacements
16 Leonardo Ghiraldini
17 Ellis Genge
18 Logovi’i Mulipola
19 Ed Slater
20 Will Evans
21 Jono Kitto
22 Tommy Bell
23 Adam Thompstone
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Schalk Brits, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Kruis, 6 Michael Rhodes, 7 Will Fraser, 8 Billy Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Marcelo Bosch
