European Rugby Champions Cup: Leicester Tigers v Toulon preview

Leicester Tigers will aim to join reigning champions Toulon at the Pool 3 summit on Sunday as they do battle in the first of a European Rugby Champions Cup double-header at Welford Road.

Back-to-back successes against Ulster and Scarlets have seen Toulon seize control of the group, taking a four-point lead over the Welsh region and Leicester, who have one win apiece to their names.

The Tigers made a fine start to their campaign in claiming a 25-18 triumph over Ulster, but a 15-3 defeat at the hands of Scarlets proved a setback for Leicester, while Toulon have beaten both sides by 10 points.

However, Richard Cockerill’s side will be hoping to make the most of their home advantage and draw level with the back-to-back defending champions.

The lone previous meeting between the sides ended try-less, with the French heavyweight claiming a 21-15 victory in a battle of the kickers.

Ben Youngs returns to lead Leicester in the Champions Cup after being involved in each of England's four Autumn Internationals and is now back in club colours for the Pool 3 encounter.

Matt Smith comes in at centre, with Vereniki Goneva reverting to the wing in the only other changes to the backline since last week's home win over Wasps in the Premiership.

Parling returns

The only change in the forward pack sees the return of Jordan Crane at No 8, while international second row Geoff Parling is included in the matchday 23 for the first time since September after recovering from injury.

There will be a familiar face standing before Leicester on Sunday as Martin Castrogiovanni starts Sunday's match for Toulon, lining up against his former employers at Welford Road.

Italy prop Castrogiovanni will be playing at Welford Road for the first time since leaving Tigers in the summer of 2013.

The popular prop lines up in an all-international Toulon team featuring Test players from England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Italy and Georgia.

Steffon Armitage, the European Player of the Year in 2013/14, is at openside with Mamuka Gorgodze, who played at Welford Road with Montpellier last season, at blindside.

World Cup winners Bryan Habana and Bakkies Botha are in the starting line-up, and former All Blacks back-rower Chris Masoe is named as captain.

Leicester: 15 Mathew Tait; 14 Blaine Scully, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Vereniki Goneva; 10 Owen Williams, 9 Ben Youngs (capt); 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Tom Youngs, 3 Dan Cole; 4 Brad Thorn, 5 Graham Kitchener; 6 Jamie Gibson, 7 Julian Salvi, 8 Jordan Crane
Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Geoff Parling, 20 Robert Barbieri, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Freddie Burns, 23 Miles Benjamin

Toulon: 15 Delon Armitage; 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Bryan Habana; 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde; 1 Xavier Chiocci, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni; 4 Bakkies Botha, 5 Ali Williams; 6 Mamuka Gorgodze, 7 Steffon Armitage, 8 Chris Masoe (capt)
Replacements: 16 Jean-Charles Orioli, 17 Florian Fresia, 18 Carl Hayman, 19 Juan Smith, 20 Rudi Wulf, 21 Jocelino Suta, 22 Eric Escande, 23 Romain Taofifenua