Leicester Tigers will become the first team to play 500 Premiership Rugby matches when they return to top-flight action on Saturday.

The Gallagher Premiership programme resumes with the Round 13 fixtures this weekend as Tigers go to Allianz Park to face defending champions Saracens.

Since the advent of Premiership Rugby in 1997/98, Tigers have won the league title on eight occasions and reached the knockout stages in 13 consecutive seasons from 2004/05.

Tigers’ first game in what was then known as the Allied Dunbar Premiership was a 33-16 victory over Gloucester at Welford Road on August 30, 1997 with tries from Michael Horak, Will Greenwood and Neil Back plus seven kicks from Joel Stransky.

Sarries are second on the list of Premiership appearances with 494 before this weekend, followed by Wasps (491), Bath (484) and Gloucester (483).