International forwards Dan Cole and Craig Newby return to the Leicester Tigers line-up for Saturday's home game against Harlequins in the Guinness Premiership (3pm).
Cole, one of England’s top performers in this season’s RBS 6 Nations, starts at tighthead prop, while Newby takes the No8 shirt after Jordan Crane was ruled out by a knock picked up in last Sunday’s win over Newcastle Falcons.
The backline from the trip to Newcastle remains intact as Alesana Tuilagi is recovering from the calf injury which ruled him out last weekend.
Martin Castrogiovanni is named among the replacements and fellow front-rower Boris Stankovich returns to the matchday 23 after illness. Brett Deacon is added to the squad as cover in the back-row positions.
“Harlequins are still trying to get a European spot so they have their targets and they will want to come and finish the season on a high,” said Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill.
“If we win that definitely gives us a home semi-final, but we need to go out and perform, we can’t sit back.”
Tickets are still available for Saturday’s game. Contact the Tigers ticket office by phoning the hotline on 0844 856 1880, book online or call in at Welford Road. The office is open until 5pm on Friday and from 9am on matchday.
Leicester Tigers (v Harlequins, Welford Road, Saturday 3pm)
15 Geordan Murphy (c)
14 Scott Hamilton
13 Matt Smith
12 Anthony Allen
11 Johne Murphy
10 Toby Flood
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Mefin Davies
3 Dan Cole
4 Louis Deacon
5 Geoff Parling
6 Tom Croft
7 Lewis Moody
8 Craig Newby
Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Martin Castrogiovanni
19 Ben Kay
20 Brett Deacon
21 James Grindal
22 Jeremy Staunton
23 Lucas Amorosino
Quins make a handful of changes to the starting line-up following defeat by Saracens last week.
Chris Robshaw returns from injury to take a spot in the back row, while Matt Cairns and Aston Croall come into the front row after injury to Chris Brooker and Ceri Jones.
Rory Clegg retains the No10 shirt after Nick Evans was ruled out of the Saracens game, and Ugo Monye regains his starting position on the wing.
Academy duo Joe Marler and Sam Smith are called up to the replacements’ bench.
Harlequins
1 Aston Croall
2 Matt Cairns
3 John Andress
4 James Percival
5 George Robson
6 Chris Robshaw
7 Will Skinner (c)
8 Nick Easter
9 Danny Care
10 Rory Clegg
11 Ugo Monye
12 Jordan Turner-Hall
13 George Lowe
14 David Strettle
15 Mike Brown
Replacements
16 Tani Fuga
17 Joe Marler
18 James Johnston
19 Lewis Stevenson
20 Tom Guest
21 Karl Dickson
22 Nils Mordt
23 Sam Smith
Cole, one of England’s top performers in this season’s RBS 6 Nations, starts at tighthead prop, while Newby takes the No8 shirt after Jordan Crane was ruled out by a knock picked up in last Sunday’s win over Newcastle Falcons.
The backline from the trip to Newcastle remains intact as Alesana Tuilagi is recovering from the calf injury which ruled him out last weekend.
Martin Castrogiovanni is named among the replacements and fellow front-rower Boris Stankovich returns to the matchday 23 after illness. Brett Deacon is added to the squad as cover in the back-row positions.
“Harlequins are still trying to get a European spot so they have their targets and they will want to come and finish the season on a high,” said Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill.
“If we win that definitely gives us a home semi-final, but we need to go out and perform, we can’t sit back.”
Tickets are still available for Saturday’s game. Contact the Tigers ticket office by phoning the hotline on 0844 856 1880, book online or call in at Welford Road. The office is open until 5pm on Friday and from 9am on matchday.
Leicester Tigers (v Harlequins, Welford Road, Saturday 3pm)
15 Geordan Murphy (c)
14 Scott Hamilton
13 Matt Smith
12 Anthony Allen
11 Johne Murphy
10 Toby Flood
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Mefin Davies
3 Dan Cole
4 Louis Deacon
5 Geoff Parling
6 Tom Croft
7 Lewis Moody
8 Craig Newby
Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Martin Castrogiovanni
19 Ben Kay
20 Brett Deacon
21 James Grindal
22 Jeremy Staunton
23 Lucas Amorosino
Quins make a handful of changes to the starting line-up following defeat by Saracens last week.
Chris Robshaw returns from injury to take a spot in the back row, while Matt Cairns and Aston Croall come into the front row after injury to Chris Brooker and Ceri Jones.
Rory Clegg retains the No10 shirt after Nick Evans was ruled out of the Saracens game, and Ugo Monye regains his starting position on the wing.
Academy duo Joe Marler and Sam Smith are called up to the replacements’ bench.
Harlequins
1 Aston Croall
2 Matt Cairns
3 John Andress
4 James Percival
5 George Robson
6 Chris Robshaw
7 Will Skinner (c)
8 Nick Easter
9 Danny Care
10 Rory Clegg
11 Ugo Monye
12 Jordan Turner-Hall
13 George Lowe
14 David Strettle
15 Mike Brown
Replacements
16 Tani Fuga
17 Joe Marler
18 James Johnston
19 Lewis Stevenson
20 Tom Guest
21 Karl Dickson
22 Nils Mordt
23 Sam Smith
