Leicester Tigers v Harlequins Premiership Preview

Harlequins have named a team with one change for their second round Aviva Premiership Rugby match against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on Sunday.

There is just one change to the starting team that beat Wasps last week at The Stoop as Mike Brown starts at full-back.

Among the replacements Club captain Danny Care is named after recovering from a back spasm suffered during England’s Rugby World Cup 2015 match with Uruguay.

Chris Robshaw re-joined the squad this week alongside summer signing Tim Visser; both will be considered for selection next week for the trip to Bath Rugby.

Leicester Tigers only defeat in their last five Aviva Premiership rugby matches was at Bath in last season’s semi-final.

The Tigers have lost just one of their last 18 home games at Welford Road in the tournament: 19-22 to London Irish in September 2014.

Harlequins beat Wasps 26-21 on Friday evening and have not begun a season with a pair of victories in rounds 1 and 2 since 2012/13.

Harlequins have won just one of their last five away trips in Aviva Premiership Rugby: 25-23 at Sale in April.

The Tigers have won only two of their last nine matches against Harlequins in all tournaments – both in Premiership Rugby at Welford Road; the semi-final in 2013 and the round 6 game last season.

Meanwhile Leicester Tigers have brought Rugby World Cup trio Tom Youngs, Dan Cole and Vereniki Goneva back for this weekend.

Goneva comes in on the wing in the only change to the backline that started the win at London Irish in Round 1 last weekend, while Youngs comes in at hooker. Cole is among the replacements.

Sebastian de Chaves returns to the forward pack, with Mike Williams moving into the back row after starting at lock against Irish.

Four summer signings make their home debuts – Peter Betham, Mike Fitzgerald, Mike Williams and Lachlan McCaffrey – with Opeti Fonua anf scrum-half Ben White also hoping to make their first competitive appearance at Welford Road from the bench.

Owen Williams, who made his return from an eight-month injury absence last weekend, is named among the replacements.

Match : Leicester Tigers v Harlequins
Date : Sunday 25th October
Venue : Welford Road,
Kick Off : 2pm
Live on: BT Sport
Match Officials
Referee :Tom Foley (8th Premiership game).
Assistant Referees: Nigel Carrick & Paul Dix
TMO: Rowan Kitt.

Teams

Leicester Tigers

15 Mathew Tait (c) , 14 Adam Thompstone , 13 Peter Betham , 12 Seremaia Bai , 11 Vereniki Goneva , 10 Tommy Bell , 9 Sam Harrison , 1 Logovi’i Mulipola , 2 Tom Youngs , 3 Fraser Balmain , 4 Mike Fitzgerald , 5 Sebastian de Chaves , 6 Mike Williams , 7 Tom Croft , 8 Lachlan McCaffrey

Replacements , 16 Harry Thacker , 17 Riccardo Brugnara , 18 Dan Cole , 19 Laurence Pearce , 20 Opeti Fonua , 21 Ben White , 22 Owen Williams , 23 Matt Smith ,

Harlequins

15. Mike Brown , 14. Marland Yarde , 13. George Lowe , 12. Harry Sloan , 11. Charlie Walker , 10. Nick Evans (C) , 9. Karl Dickson , , 1. Mark Lambert , 2. Dave Ward , 3. Adam Jones , 4. James Horwill , 5. Sam Twomey , 6. Jack Clifford , 7. Luke Wallace , 8. Mat Luamanu

Replacements : 16. Joe Gray , 17. Joe Marler , 18. Kyle Sinckler , 19. Charlie Matthews , 20. Nick Easter , 21. Danny Care , 22. Ben Botica , 23. Ollie Lindsay-Hague