Wasps make their 50th trip to Mattioli Woods Welford Road this afternoon (Saturday) to face Leicester Tigers in Round 26 of the Gallagher Premiership season.
All six games in this final round of the league programme kick off simultaneously at 3.00pm.
Tigers have already booked a place in the semi-finals – where they will have a home game next Saturday, June 11 (4.30pm) – but are not yet assured of top seeding with Saracens just three points behind going into this round of fixtures.
Wasps are currently ninth in the table but a win would take them at least into the top eight, over London Irish who have completed their programme, and into qualifying places for next season’s Heineken Champions Cup.
In team news announced on Friday lunchtime, Charlie Clare comes into the Tigers front row to make his 50th senior appearance for the club, Calum Green returns at lock, Harry Potter returns to the backline and Ben Youngs is at scrum-half.
Jimmy Gopperth and James Gaskell make a last appearance for Wasps before moving on in the summer, while Paolo Odogwu returns to the starting line-up, and brothers Jack and Tom Willis start in the back row.
Tigers fly-half George Ford, previewing the game, said: “The impressive thing about Wasps is that they can play a number of ways. They have brilliant kickers, good game managers, a very good back row who can steal ball and dangerous players.
“We’re going to have to be right at it this week, we are under no illusions about that.
“We’re not thinking about anything other than this game. We have got a job to do this week. We just want to get out and put that work from training on to the field. If we perform near our best we have a chance to win games and that is the focus.”
Tigers have lost just one of the last five league games and won at Newcastle Falcons last time out.
Wasps are among the four clubs who have beaten Tigers in the Gallagher Premiership this season, claiming a penalty try alongside three penalties from Gopperth in a 16-13 triumph in Coventry at New Year, and they were on a four-game unbeaten run before defeat by Sale Sharks in Round 25.
Overall the two clubs have met on 110 previous occasions with Tigers winning 65 to 40 by Wasps and five games drawn. Of the previous 49 meetings at this stadium, Tigers have won 41 to eight by the visitors.
Referee is Craig Maxwell-Keys, in his 114th Premiership match in charge.
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Round 26 in full (all Saturday 3.00pm): Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins, Gloucester Rugby v Saracens, Leicester Tigers v Wasps, Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons, Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears, Worcester Warriors v Bath Rugby.
