Mike Williams makes his first start of the season as Leicester Tigers prepare to face Gloucester Rugby in the Aviva Premiership at Welford Road this Saturday.
Used as a replacement in both previous fixtures, Williams joins Luke Hamilton and Sione Kalamafoni in the back row for the Round 3 clash this weekend.
Harry Wells and Joe Maksymiw come into the second row, with academy graduate Maksymiw making his Premiership debut after Graham Kitchener and Dom Barrow suffered knocks in the Round 2 defeat at Northampton Saints.
Tonga international Valentino Mapapalangi, who has started the first two games of the Premiership ‘A’ League season with the Tigers Development XV, is included in the matchday squad for the first time since his summer move to Welford Road.
Tickets for Saturday’s game are still available at the Tigers ticket office. Book in person at Welford Road, phone 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or online at leicestertigers.com
Leicester Tigers (v Gloucester Rugby, Welford Road, Saturday 3.00pm)
15 Telusa Veainu
14 Nick Malouf
13 Matt Smith
12 Matt Toomua
11 Jonny May
10 George Ford
1 Ellis Genge
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Dan Cole
4 Harry Wells
5 Joe Maksymiw
6 Mike Williams
7 Luke Hamilton
8 Sione Kalamafoni
Replacements
16 Harry Thacker
17 Greg Bateman
18 Logovi’i Mulipola
19 Valentino Mapapalangi
20 Dominic Ryan
21 Sam Harrison
22 Joe Ford
23 Mathew Tait
Gloucester Rugby: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Billy Burns, 9 Willi Heinz; 1 Josh Hohneck, 2 Motu Matu'u, 3 John Afoa; 4 Ed Slater, 5 Jeremy Thrush; 6 Lewis Ludlow, 7 Jacob Rowan, 8 Ruan Ackermann
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Val Rapava Ruskin, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 Tom Savage, 20 Freddie Clarke, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Henry Trinder, 23 Henry Purdy
