Steve Borthwick has named the Leicester Tigers matchday squad for the Gallagher Premiership Round 8 fixture against Bath Rugby.
The Tigers head coach is without a several members of his senior squad for Friday’s fixture at Mattioli Woods Welford Road with players away on international duty for the opening weekend of the autumn internationals.
Nic Dolly, who returned to Leicester in midweek from the England camp, starts at hooker for Tigers with Francois van Wyk and Dan Cole the props.
Tom Cowan-Dickie, Nephi Leatigaga and Joe Heyes are the replacement front-rowers.
Calum Green partners Harry Wells at lock, with Eli Snyman and George Martin included on the Tigers bench as replacements.
In a new-look back row, Ollie Chessum and Tommy Reffell are named as the flankers and Cyle Brink starts at No8 for his first appearance of the season.
George Ford captains the side for a second successive round and is partnered by Jack van Poortvliet as the starting half-backs.
Player/coach Richard Wigglesworth and Bryce Hegarty, who made his senior debut for the club in Round 7 away to Northampton Saints, are named among the replacements.
Dan Kelly is joined by Matt Scott in the Tigers midfield after the Scotland cap returned from international camp in midweek.
Guy Porter returns to action as one of the starting wings, with Nemani Nadolo the other, and Freddie Burns is at full-back.
Versatile outside-back Kini Murimurivalu rounds out the Leicester bench.
Speaking about Friday night's fixture, Borthwick said: “Bath are a side capable of causing problems for you in defence, with their ability to break the line and the amount of opportunities they create in games.
“It is a club who have invested heavily in their squad and you can see the calibre and experience of players they have.
“We are looking forward to being back at home on Friday night with a big Leicester Tigers crowd.”
STARTING XV
15 Freddie Burns [82]
14 Guy Porter [22]
13 Matt Scott [30]
12 Dan Kelly [25]
11 Nemani Nadolo [22]
10 George Ford (c) [112]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [26]
1 Francois van Wyk [4]
2 Nic Dolly [8]
3 Dan Cole [271]
4 Harry Wells [131]
5 Calum Green [66]
6 Ollie Chessum [13]
7 Tommy Reffell [53]
8 Cyle Brink [17] *
REPLACEMENTS
16 Tom Cowan-Dickie [3]
17 Nephi Leatigaga [48]
18 Joe Heyes [77]
19 Eli Snyman [5]
20 George Martin [22]
21 Richard Wigglesworth [19]
22 Bryce Hegarty [1]
23 Kini Murimurivalu [25]
* denotes first appearance of the 2021/22 season
Bath Rugby: 15 Orlando Bailey, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Max Clark, 11 Will Muir, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Ollie Fox; 1 Juan Schoeman, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 4 Josh McNally (c), 5 Ewan Richards, 6 Tom Ellis, 7 Richard de Carpentier, 8 Miles Reid
Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Arthur Cordwell, 18 Kieran Verden, 19 Nahum Merigan, 20 Tom Cowan, 21 Max Green, 22 Max Ojomoh, 23 Ruaridh McConnochie
