Tigers Development XV aim to maintain their hopes of a third successive Guinness A League crown when they travel to Newcastle Falcons for their penultimate Northern Conference fixture this evening.
Tigers were originally due to play Sale Jets at Welford Road tonight but that game had to be postponed after the visitors asked for the match to be moved to a later date. That game will now take place on Monday April 9, kick-off 7pm, with all original tickets still valid.
With the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Stade Francais looming large, Tigers have named an experienced starting XV including 11 players with competitive first-team experience.
Matt Cornwell skippers the team from inside centre, with Johne Murphy and Ian Humphreys notable inclusions in an exciting backline. Ollie Dodge and the Youngs brothers, Tom and Ben, all start having recently represented England at age-group level, while Vavae Tuilagi will hope to mirror the form of older brother Alesana when he takes his place on the right wing.
In the pack, England Saxons hooker James Buckland is named alongside Dan Cole and Dave Young in the front row, while returning Scotland international James Hamilton lines up with Gregor Gillanders at lock.
Tigers were originally due to play Sale Jets at Welford Road tonight but that game had to be postponed after the visitors asked for the match to be moved to a later date. That game will now take place on Monday April 9, kick-off 7pm, with all original tickets still valid.
With the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Stade Francais looming large, Tigers have named an experienced starting XV including 11 players with competitive first-team experience.
Matt Cornwell skippers the team from inside centre, with Johne Murphy and Ian Humphreys notable inclusions in an exciting backline. Ollie Dodge and the Youngs brothers, Tom and Ben, all start having recently represented England at age-group level, while Vavae Tuilagi will hope to mirror the form of older brother Alesana when he takes his place on the right wing.
In the pack, England Saxons hooker James Buckland is named alongside Dan Cole and Dave Young in the front row, while returning Scotland international James Hamilton lines up with Gregor Gillanders at lock.
A formidable-looking back row features Henry Tuilagi, Luke Abraham and Jordan Crane, while Sam Vesty is named among the replacements.
Tigers currently top the Northern Conference by three points from second-placed Sale Jets, with Newcastle sitting in fourth spot with two games remaining.
Tigers Development XV vs Newcastle (Percy Park, 7pm)
15 Johne Murphy
14 Vavae Tuilagi
13 Tom Youngs
12 Matt Cornwell (captain)
11 Ollie Dodge
10 Ian Humphreys
9 Ben Youngs
1 Dan Cole
2 James Buckland
3 Dave Young
4 Gregor Gillanders
5 James Hamilton
6 Henry Tuilagi
7 Luke Abraham
8 Jordan Crane
Replacements
Matt Parr
Greg Sammons
Ben Pienaar
Ben Herring
Alex Shaw
Sam Vesty
Mitchell Culpin
