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Team News | Tigers side for Saracens fixture

Steve Borthwick has named the Leicester Tigers matchday squad for the Gallagher Premiership Round 3 fixture against Saracens.

Francois van Wyk will make his first start for Leicester at loosehead prop, joining Nic Dolly and Dan Cole in the front row.

Calum Green and Ollie Chessum are the starting locks, with George Martin, Tommy Reffell and Hanro Liebenberg rounding out the Tigers pack in the back-row.

Ben Youngs and George Ford start as half-backs, with Dan Kelly and Guy Porter the centres.

In a new-look back-three, Kobus van Wyk and Hosea Saumaki are the wings and Freddie Burns is included to start at full-back.

Tonga international Saumaki makes his Premiership debut, while Burns makes his first start since returning to the club in the summer.

Tom Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Harry Wells and Cameron Henderson are the forwards on the Leicester bench, with Jack van Poortvliet, Juan Pablo Socino and Freddie Steward the replacement backs.

"It will be a good challenge for our group at this point in our journey, up against the Premiership’s best side"

Previewing the game, Tigers Head Coach Steve Borthwick said: “We are looking forward to being back at Mattioli Woods Welford Road this weekend with another strong home support in the stands.

“Saracens are a leading club in our league, led by an experienced coaching team who have built a world-class squad over many years which includes a host of current internationals and British & Irish Lions players.

“It will be a good challenge for our group at this point in our journey, up against the Premiership’s best side.”

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Burns [74]
14 Kobus van Wyk [14] *
13 Guy Porter [19]
12 Dan Kelly [22]
11 Hosea Saumaki **
10 George Ford [107]
9 Ben Youngs [266]
1 Francois van Wyk [2]
2 Nic Dolly [4]
3 Dan Cole [266]
4 Calum Green [62]
5 Ollie Chessum [10]|
6 George Martin [19]
7 Tommy Reffell [49]
8 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [38]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Tom Cowan-Dickie [1]
17 Ellis Genge [91]
18 Nephi Leatigaga [43]
19 Harry Wells [126]
20 Cameron Henderson [17] *
21 Jack van Poortvliet [23]
22 Juan Pablo Socino **
23 Freddie Steward [37]

* denotes first appearance of 21/22 season
** denotes Leicester Tigers debut

Saracens XV: 15 Max Malins, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Aled Davies; 1 Ralph Adams-Hale, 2 Jamie George, 3 Marco Riccioni, 4 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Tim Swinson, 6 Jackson Wray, 7 Ben Earl,  8 Billy Vunipola

Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Callum Hunter-Hill, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Alex Goode, 23 Dom Morris