Logovi'i Mulipola, Mathew Tait and Opeti Fonua return from injury to line up for Leicester Tigers in Saturday's Aviva Premiership Round 7 fixture against Newcastle Falcons at Welford Road (3pm).Samoa international prop Mulipola joins Harry Thacker and Fraser Balmain in the Tigers front row, with Ed Slater joining Dom Barrow at lock. Tom Croft and Laurence Pearce return to the back row alongside Lachlan McCaffrey.
In the backline, scrum-half Jono Kitto comes in for his first start for the club, and Telusa Veainu switches to the wing with Tait at full-back.
Fonua is one of six internationals among the replacements as he returns for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his arm in the Round 3 win over Wasps.
Saturday’s game is not scheduled for live television coverage so the only place to follow all of the action is at Welford Road. Click here for our full matchday guide.
Tickets for Saturday’s game are available now from the Tigers ticket office. Call in at Welford Road, phone 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or click here to book online.
Leicester Tigers (v Newcastle Falcons, Welford Road, Saturday 3pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Telusa Veainu
13 Peter Betham
12 Matt Smith
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Freddie Burns
9 Jono Kitto
1 Logovi’i Mulipola
2 Harry Thacker
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Dom Barrow
5 Ed Slater (c)
6 Tom Croft
7 Lachlan McCaffrey
8 Laurence Pearce
Replacements
16 Tom Youngs
17 Matias Aguero
18 Dan Cole
19 Sebastian De Chaves
20 Opeti Fonua
21 Ben Youngs
22 Tommy Bell
23 Seremaia Bai
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Alex Tait, 13 Belisario Agulla, 12 Chris Harris, 11 Marcus Watson, 10 Craig Willis, 9 Michael Young, 1 Rob Vickers, 2 George McGuigan, 3 Jon Welsh, 4 Mark Wilson, 5 Sean Robinson, 6 Ally Hogg, 7 Will Welch (c), 8 Nili Latu
Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Alex Rogers, 18 Taione Vea, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Todd Clever, 21 Sonatane Takulua, 22 Tom Catterick, 23 Juan Pablo Socino
News
Boxing Day team news: Tigers v Falcons
24 December 2015 12:00 PM
Share this article
Articles
Boxing Day team news: Tigers v Falcons
24 December 2015 12:00 PM
Kata in Tongan summer Test squad
3 July 2025 10:00 AM
Smith and Reffell in Wales team to play Japan
3 July 2025 5:01 AM
Henderson and Hurd to face Māori All Blacks
3 July 2025 7:01 AM
25/26 European opponents confirmed
1 July 2025 2:11 PM
Chessum strong for Lions in win over Reds
2 July 2025 2:00 PM
Tigers name squad for second round of Fours Premiership
2 July 2025 9:30 AM
Williams retains England U20s spot
2 July 2025 1:01 PM
Women's Squad 25/26
15 May 2025 11:00 AM
Tigers Down Syndrome rugby celebrate successful second year
26 June 2025 12:00 PM
Women's programme bolstered by Performance Partnership
24 June 2025 1:30 PM