Mathew Tait will lead Leicester Tigers in the Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-final against Saracens at Allianz Park on Saturday.
Tait returns to the starting line-up and will play at centre alongside Jack Roberts who has recovered from a hamstring injury. JP Pietersen and Freddie Burns provide extra experience in the backline, with George Worth returning from a spell with Nottingham to play at full-back.
Ellis Genge returns to the front row and is joined by George McGuigan and Fraser Balmain, with Graham Kitchener resuming in the second row alongside Harry Wells after recovering from a calf injury. Harry Thacker joins Luke Hamilton and Lachlan McCaffrey in the back row.
The replacements include international forwards Michele Rizzo and Tom Croft, plus fly-half Owen Williams.
Tigers coach Geordan Murphy said: “We’ve got a good combination of senior players and some younger guys who deserve their opportunity. Those guys have a chance to show what they can do in the shirt. It’s great to see those young guys getting an opportunity because it doesn’t matter how much training and analysis work you do, nothing compares to going out on the field.”
Leicester Tigers (v Saracens, away, Saturday 6.00pm)
15 George Worth
14 Tom Brady
13 Mathew Tait (c)
12 Jack Roberts
11 JP Pietersen
10 Freddie Burns
9 Jono Kitto
1 Ellis Genge
2 George McGuigan
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Harry Wells
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Luke Hamilton
7 Harry Thacker
8 Lachlan McCaffrey
Replacements
16 Tom Croft
17 Michele Rizzo
18 Greg Bateman
19 Joe Maksymiw
20 Will Owen
21 Ben White
22 Owen Williams
23 Charlie Thacker
Saracens: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Mike Ellery, 13 Tim Streather (c), 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Nathan Earle, 10 Tom Whiteley, 9 Henry Taylor; 1 Richard Barrington, 2 Jared Saunders, 3 Vincent Koch, 4 Fa’atiga Lemalu, 5 Mark Flanagan, 6 Kelly Brown, 7 Joel Conlon, 8 Samu Vunisa
Replacements: 16 Tom Lindsay, 17 Hayden Stringer, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 George Perkins
Tait returns to the starting line-up and will play at centre alongside Jack Roberts who has recovered from a hamstring injury. JP Pietersen and Freddie Burns provide extra experience in the backline, with George Worth returning from a spell with Nottingham to play at full-back.
Ellis Genge returns to the front row and is joined by George McGuigan and Fraser Balmain, with Graham Kitchener resuming in the second row alongside Harry Wells after recovering from a calf injury. Harry Thacker joins Luke Hamilton and Lachlan McCaffrey in the back row.
The replacements include international forwards Michele Rizzo and Tom Croft, plus fly-half Owen Williams.
Tigers coach Geordan Murphy said: “We’ve got a good combination of senior players and some younger guys who deserve their opportunity. Those guys have a chance to show what they can do in the shirt. It’s great to see those young guys getting an opportunity because it doesn’t matter how much training and analysis work you do, nothing compares to going out on the field.”
Leicester Tigers (v Saracens, away, Saturday 6.00pm)
15 George Worth
14 Tom Brady
13 Mathew Tait (c)
12 Jack Roberts
11 JP Pietersen
10 Freddie Burns
9 Jono Kitto
1 Ellis Genge
2 George McGuigan
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Harry Wells
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Luke Hamilton
7 Harry Thacker
8 Lachlan McCaffrey
Replacements
16 Tom Croft
17 Michele Rizzo
18 Greg Bateman
19 Joe Maksymiw
20 Will Owen
21 Ben White
22 Owen Williams
23 Charlie Thacker
Saracens: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Mike Ellery, 13 Tim Streather (c), 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Nathan Earle, 10 Tom Whiteley, 9 Henry Taylor; 1 Richard Barrington, 2 Jared Saunders, 3 Vincent Koch, 4 Fa’atiga Lemalu, 5 Mark Flanagan, 6 Kelly Brown, 7 Joel Conlon, 8 Samu Vunisa
Replacements: 16 Tom Lindsay, 17 Hayden Stringer, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 George Perkins
