London Irish v Leicester Tigers: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 22/02/15 12:52pm
Leicester Tigers welcome back England duo Tom Youngs and Tom Croft for Sunday’s Aviva Premiership trip to London Irish.
The pair were among the replacements for England’s Six Nations wins over Wales and Italy respectively, and they are named in the Tigers’ starting line-up as they look to avenge their home defeat to the Exiles earlier this season.
Jordan Crane will captain Leicester at the Madejski Stadium in his 200th appearance for the club, while Jack Roberts will make his first Premiership start at centre.
Italy internationals Robert Barbieri and Leonardo Ghiraldini are both absent through injury, as is fellow forward Julian Salvi.
London Irish head coach Glenn Delaney makes one change to the side that picked up a losing bonus point at Northampton Saints last weekend, with Scotland international Geoff Cross returning to the front row.
Cross replaces the injured Halani Aulika at tighthead, with captain George Skivington, Scott Steele and Alex Lewington set to face their former side.
London Irish: 15 Andrew Fenby, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Fergus Mulchrone, 12 Eamonn Sheridan, 11 Tom Fowlie, 10 Shane Geraghty, 9 Scott Steele; 1 Tom Court, 2 David Paice, 3 Geoff Cross, 4 George Skivington (c), 5 Jebb Sinclair, 6 Ofisa Treviranus, 7 Conor Gilsenan, 8 Tom Guest.
Replacements: 16 Jimmy Stevens, 17 Matt Parr, 18 Leo Halavatau, 19 Nic Rouse, 20 Luke Narraway, 21 Darren Allinson, 22 Chris Noakes, 23 Alex Lewington.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 George Catchpole, 12 Jack Roberts, 11 Miles Benjamin, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Sam Harrison; 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Tom Youngs, 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 4 Sebastian De Chaves, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Tom Croft, 7 Jamie Gibson, 8 Jordan Crane (c).
Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Jack Whetton, 20 Laurence Pearce, 21 David Mele, 22 Seremaia Bai, 23 Niall Morris.
