Steve Borthwick has named the Leicester Tigers matchday squad for the Gallagher Premiership game away to Sale Sharks on Sunday.
The Tigers head coach is without six players – Ollie Chessum, George Ford, Ellis Genge, Joe Heyes, Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs – after their inclusion in England’s Six Nations squad.
"Sale are a very dangerous side, who are capable of causing problems for their opposition with the phased attack and offloading ability they have at their disposal"
Steve Borthwick
James Whitcombe will make his first start of the league season at loosehead prop, joining Julián Montoya and Dan Cole in the starting front row.
Nic Dolly, Francois van Wyk and Nephi Leatigaga are the replacement front-rowers on the Tigers bench.
Harry Wells and Calum Green start in the Leicester second row, with George Martin and Tommy Reffell the flankers and Jasper Wiese at No8 in the starting pack.
Hanro Liebenberg and Olly Robinson are the other forwards included on the bench with loan signing Robinson in line for his debut appearance for Leicester Tigers.
Richard Wigglesworth and Freddie Burns are the starting half-backs, with Dan Kelly and Matt Scott paired in the Tigers midfield.
Wigglesworth is named as captain for the fixture at the AJ Bell Stadium.
In the Leicester back three, Guy Porter and Harry Potter are the wings and Bryce Hegarty the starting full-back.
Jack van Poortvliet, Juan Pablo Socino and Hosea Saumaki are the replacement backs on the bench.
Previewing the Round 14 fixture, Borthwick said: “Sale are a very dangerous side, who are capable of causing problems for their opposition with the phased attack and offloading ability they have at their disposal with the ball-in-hand style they implement.
“They have experienced, world class players throughout their squad, of which they have invested heavily in over a number of seasons now.
“This is a club who have spent successive years at the top of the Premiership together and are settled in the style Alex Sanderson and his fellow coaches want them to play, which we know will be a big challenge for us on Sunday afternoon away from home.”
STARTING XV
15 Bryce Hegarty [6]
14 Harry Potter [26]
13 Matt Scott [36]
12 Dan Kelly [33]
11 Guy Porter [30]
10 Freddie Burns [86]
9 Richard Wigglesworth (c) [24]
1 James Whitcombe [11]
2 Julián Montoya [15]
3 Dan Cole [278]
4 Harry Wells [140]
5 Calum Green [75]
6 George Martin [28]
7 Tommy Reffell [62]
8 Jasper Wiese [28]
REPLACEMENTS
16 Nic Dolly [15]
17 Francois van Wyk [7]
18 Nephi Leatigaga [55]
19 Hanro Liebenberg [43]
20 Olly Robinson *
21 Jack van Poortvliet [34]
22 Juan Pablo Socino [6]
23 Hosea Saumaki [6]
* denotes Leicester Tigers debut
SALE SHARKS XV: 15 Luke James, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Robert du Preez, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Byron McGuigan, 10 Aj Macginty, 9 Will Cliff; 1 Ross Harrison, 2 Ewan Ashman, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 4 Jean-Luc du Preez, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Jono Ross (c), 7 Ben Curry, 8 Daniel du Preez
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Joe Jones, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Sam Dugdale, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Sam James, 23 Arron Reed
