England internationals Tom Youngs, Tom Croft and Ellis Genge return the Leicester Tigers line-up for Sunday's Aviva Premiership Rugby Round 8 fixture against Harlequins at Welford Road.
Club captain Youngs starts at hooker, with Genge at loosehead prop and Croft makes his first league appearance of the season after returning from a back injury to play a full 80 minutes in the Anglo-Welsh Cup last week.
Ed Slater, Mike Fitzgerald and Lachlan McCaffrey are also back in the forward pack for the visit of Quins.
Adam Thompstone makes his 100th Tigers appearance in a backline which welcomes back Mathew Tait and Tom Brady, while Jono Kitto starts at scrum-half.
South Africa international prop Pat Cilliers is included in a Premiership squad for the first time and there are places for Jack Roberts and George Worth after starting the back-to-back Cup wins against Bath and the Dragons in the last two weeks.
Sunday’s game will attract the biggest attendance of the season so far at Welford Road with 25,000 tickets already sold.
Match tickets are still general sale. Supporters can book in person at the Tigers ticket office at Welford Road or by phoning 0116 319 8888 (option 2), open 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday and from 9am on matchday. Or book online at the club website by clicking here.
Leicester Tigers (v Harlequins, Welford Road, Sunday 3.15pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Adam Thompstone
13 Peter Betham
12 Owen Williams
11 Tom Brady
10 Freddie Burns
9 Jono Kitto
1 Ellis Genge
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Greg Bateman
4 Ed Slater
5 Mike Fitzgerald
6 Tom Croft
7 Brendon O’Connor
8 Lachlan McCaffrey
Replacements
16 Harry Thacker
17 Marcos Ayerza
18 Pat Cilliers
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Luke Hamilton
21 Sam Harrison
22 Jack Roberts
23 George Worth
Harlequins: 15 Aaron Morris, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Winston Stanley, 11 Alofa Alofa, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Karl Dickson; 1 Mark Lambert, 2 Rob Buchanan, 3 Will Collier, 4 Charlie Matthews, 5 James Horwill (c), 6 Luke Wallace, 7 Dave Ward, 8 James Chisholm
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Dan Murphy, 18 Adam Jones, 19 Stan South, 20 George Naoupu, 21 Charlie Mulchrone, 22 Tim Swiel, 23 Charlie Walker
Club captain Youngs starts at hooker, with Genge at loosehead prop and Croft makes his first league appearance of the season after returning from a back injury to play a full 80 minutes in the Anglo-Welsh Cup last week.
Ed Slater, Mike Fitzgerald and Lachlan McCaffrey are also back in the forward pack for the visit of Quins.
Adam Thompstone makes his 100th Tigers appearance in a backline which welcomes back Mathew Tait and Tom Brady, while Jono Kitto starts at scrum-half.
South Africa international prop Pat Cilliers is included in a Premiership squad for the first time and there are places for Jack Roberts and George Worth after starting the back-to-back Cup wins against Bath and the Dragons in the last two weeks.
Sunday’s game will attract the biggest attendance of the season so far at Welford Road with 25,000 tickets already sold.
Match tickets are still general sale. Supporters can book in person at the Tigers ticket office at Welford Road or by phoning 0116 319 8888 (option 2), open 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday and from 9am on matchday. Or book online at the club website by clicking here.
Leicester Tigers (v Harlequins, Welford Road, Sunday 3.15pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Adam Thompstone
13 Peter Betham
12 Owen Williams
11 Tom Brady
10 Freddie Burns
9 Jono Kitto
1 Ellis Genge
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Greg Bateman
4 Ed Slater
5 Mike Fitzgerald
6 Tom Croft
7 Brendon O’Connor
8 Lachlan McCaffrey
Replacements
16 Harry Thacker
17 Marcos Ayerza
18 Pat Cilliers
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Luke Hamilton
21 Sam Harrison
22 Jack Roberts
23 George Worth
Harlequins: 15 Aaron Morris, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Winston Stanley, 11 Alofa Alofa, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Karl Dickson; 1 Mark Lambert, 2 Rob Buchanan, 3 Will Collier, 4 Charlie Matthews, 5 James Horwill (c), 6 Luke Wallace, 7 Dave Ward, 8 James Chisholm
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Dan Murphy, 18 Adam Jones, 19 Stan South, 20 George Naoupu, 21 Charlie Mulchrone, 22 Tim Swiel, 23 Charlie Walker
