Bristol head coach Richard Hill said: "Everyone is keen to get going and, unusually following a tough pre-season, we've got most of the squad available. There's been good competition for places and it's been a difficult selection."
Bristol have four players on Rugby World Cup duty - England's Mark Regan and Shaun Perry, plus Samoan duo David Lemi and Alfie To'oala - while Dan Ward-Smith is working his way back from a serious knee injury.
"My selection draws on the experienced players in the squad," Hill added. "You have to get off to a good start and you need some old heads and you have to play sensibly.
"Leicester have real strength in depth and whoever plays for them has that Leicester mentality and hates to lose."
Hill will give a Premiership debut to Scottish scrum-half Graeme Beveridge who lines up alongside New Zealander David Hill.
Bristol Rugby
15 Josh Taumalolo
14 Lee Robinson
13 Neil Brew
12 Sam Cox
11 Craig Morgan
10 David Hill
9 Graeme Beveridge
1 Dave Hilton
2 Scott Linklater
3 Darren Crompton
4 Roy Winters
5 Gareth Llewellyn
6 Matt Salter
7 Joe El Abd
8 Andrew Blowers
Replacements
16 Paul Fincken
17 Jason Hobson
18 Nathan Budgett
19 James Phillips
20 Haydn Thomas
21 Jason Strange
22 Rob Higgitt
