Leicester Tigers v Racing 92: Champions Cup semi-final preview
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 24/04/16 6:18pm
Leicester coach Aaron Mauger is pitted against former Crusaders and New Zealand team-mate Dan Carter when the Tigers face Racing 92 in the Champions Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Carter, a veteran of 112 Tests and last year's World Rugby Player of the Year, is bidding to lead Racing 92 to their first major European final, and Mauger has urged his players not to give the star playmaker any time on the ball at Nottingham Forest's City Ground.
"He's never been overawed by any challenge, and it's no different now," said Mauger.
"He's probably been the difference for Racing this year, even though you don't want to pin too much on one person.
"He'll back himself to play what's in front of him, but we've got to back ourselves to take that time and space away from him, limit his options and put him under pressure."
Mauger has been widely credited with adding an extra degree of backline flair this season to a Leicester side traditionally known for forward power, and it was on full display as the Tigers smashed Stade Francais 41-13 in the quarter-final earlier in the month.
Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill will hope for more of the same as he opts to retain the side that beat Northampton 30-24 in the Aviva Premiership last Saturday.
Graham Kitchener makes his 100th appearance for Leicester as he lines up alongside Dom Barrow in the second row, while prop Logovi'i Mulipola is also in line for his 100th appearance after being included among the replacements.
Ben Youngs partners Freddie Burns at half-back and Peter Betham pairs up with Manu Tuilagi in midfield.
"We went with the same group of players last week because we wanted to build momentum and we've had three good wins in three big games over the last three weeks with Gloucester, Stade Francais and Northampton," said Cockerill.
"It's good to keep combinations together, we've been in pretty good form and it's nice to pick from a settled squad.
"Sunday will be a great occasion. We're going to enjoy it and give it everything we've got."
In a star-studded Racing line-up, skipper Maxime Machenaud joins Carter in the half-backs, while their international back three is a threatening one, with full-back Brice Dulin flanked by wingers Joe Rokocoko and Argentina's Juan Imhoff.
Luke Charteris and Francois van der Merwe pack down in the second row and former All Black Chris Masoe wears the No 8 jersey where he joins France's Wenceslas Lauret and Bernard Le Roux in the loose trio.
If Leicester are able to topple the Top 14 heavyweights it will set up an all-England Champions Cup final as Saracens host Wasps in the other semi-final on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1 from 2.55pm.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Mathew Tait (c), 14 Telusa Veainu, 13 Peter Betham, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Harry Thacker, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Dom Barrow, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Mike Fitzgerald, 7 Lachlan McCaffrey, 8 Opeti Fonua.
Replacements: 16 Greg Bateman, 17 Logovi'i Mulipola, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Owen Williams, 23 Adam Thompstone.
Racing 92: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Johannes Goosen, 12 Alexandre Dumoulin, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Maxime Machenaud (c); 1 Eddy Ben Arous, 2 Virgile Lacombe, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 4 Luke Charteris, 5 Francois van der Merwe, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 8 Chris Masoe.
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Khatchik Vartanov, 18 Luc Ducalcon, 19 Manuel Carizza, 20 Antonie Claassen, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Remi Tales, 23 Louis Dupichot.