Leicester v Gloucester: Teams
Leicester will be boosted by the return of nine internationals when they take on Gloucester in the LV= Cup on Friday.
Last Updated: 21/10/11 10:49pm
Leicester will be boosted by the return of nine internationals when they take on Gloucester in the LV= Cup at Welford Road on Friday.
The Tigers have suffered badly during the World Cup but their ranks have now been reinforced, with England players Dan Cole, Tom Croft, Thomas Waldrom, Toby Flood and Manu Tuilagi all named in the starting XV.
Argentina duo Marcos Ayerza and Horacio Agulla are also brought back into the side, at wing and prop respectively, by director of rugby Richard Cockerill.
England lock Louis Deacon is named among the replacements, while Samoa international Alesana Tuilagi is recalled after missing the 31-3 defeat by Scarlets in the same competition last time out.
"The World Cup players have all been back in training this week and they are all very keen to get back out and play for us," Cockerill said.
"We've had a tough start to the season and we have to start winning games, on one knows that better than us. The return of the internationals allows us to pick from a position of strength with more competition for places.
"It's great for the club and for the supporters to have them back and we now have to kick on."
Sidelined
England scrum-half Ben Youngs and Italy prop Martin Castrogiovanni are the only two of Leicester's World Cup contingent who continue to be sidelined.
Cockerill added: "Castro has had a bit of a hamstring injury and we want to make sure that is right before we push him back in and Ben has returned from the World Cup unfit to play."
Cup holders Gloucester will also be able to call on the services of many of their international stars as five World Cup participants are included in the starting line-up.
Scotland quartet Jim Hamilton, Rory Lawson, Scott Lawson and Alasdair Strokosch all featured off the bench in last weekend's comfortable victory against Sale but start at Welford Road.
Flanker Akapusi Qera makes his first Gloucester appearance since representing Fiji in New Zealand and full-back Olly Morgan is back in the side after recovering from injury.
Voyce is also recalled on the left wing as Charlie Sharples is rested following a clash of heads with team-mate Freddie Burns last weekend.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Geordan Murphy (c), 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Sam Harrison, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 George Skivington, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 George Chuter, 17 Jonny Harris, 18 Ryan Bower, 19 Louis Deacon, 20 Ben Woods, 21 James Grindal, 22 Scott Hamilton, 23 George Ford.
Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 James Simpson-Daniel, 13 Henry Trinder, 12 Lesley Vainikolo, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Luke Narraway (c), 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Will James, 3 Rupert Harden, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Dan Murphy.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Nick Wood, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Tom Savage, 20 Peter Buxton, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Tim Taylor, 23 Jonny May.
