Preview: Clermont v Leicester
Leicester welcome back Manu Tuilagi and Tom Croft for Sunday's massive Heineken Cup Pool 4 fixture against Clermont Auvergne.
Leicester welcome back Manu Tuilagi and Tom Croft from injury for Sunday's massive Heineken Cup Pool 4 fixture against Clermont Auvergne.
Tigers top Pool 4 after wins in the opening two rounds away to Aironi and Ulster at home. After a difficult start to their domestic campaign in the two-time former champions come into this clash on the back of an impressive four-match winning streak in all competitions.
Clermont-Ferand is a difficult place to visit however as the hosts are currently second in the Top 14 and won their last nine Heineken Cup games at the intimidating Stade Marcel Michelin. Les Jaunards know they must win to keep their quarter-final hopes alive after losing to Ulster in Round one.
In team news, 20-year-old Tuilagi resumes after suffering a cheek injury in his first club appearance of the season in the LV= Cup win over Gloucester during October, while Croft sat out last weekend's league win over Northampton Saints.
Croft joins Julian Salvi and Thomas Waldrom in the back row, while Tuilagi is named alongside Matt Smith at centre.
The only other change to the starting line-up line-up sees Martin Castrogiovanni named at tighthead prop, with Dan Cole among the replacements.
Steve Mafi and Billy Twelvetrees, who both started the Aviva Premiership Rugby win over Northampton, are also among the replacements.
Meanwhile, Clermont welcome back South African loose forward Gerhard Vosloo to the starting XV having recovered from a back injury.
Prop Davit Zirakashvili and Julien Malzieu also return with the latter teamed up with Sitiveni Sivivatu in the back three for the first time. Brock James is preffered to David Skrela at fly-half.
Canadian lock Jamie Cudmore is back from suspension and starts from the bench.
The teams:
ASM Clermont Auvergne:15 Lee Byrne, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Julien Malzieu, 10 Brock James, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Julien Bonnaire, 7 Alexandre Lapandry, 6 Gerhard Vosloo, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Julien Pierre, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Lionel Faure.
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Clément Ric, 19 Jamie Cudmore, 20 Elvis Vermeulen, 21 Kevin Senio, 22 David Skrela, 23 Regan King,
Leicester Tigers: 15 Geordan Murphy, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Jules Salvi, 6 Tom Croft, 5 George Skivington, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 George Chuter, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Rob Hawkins, 17 Boris Stankovich, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Steve Mafi, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Billy Twelvetrees, 23 Scott Hamilton,
Date: Sunday, December 11
Kick-off: 16:00 (15:00 GMT)
Venue: Stade Marcel Michelin
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: John Carvill (Ireland), Ollie Hodges (Ireland)
Television match official: Tony Redmond (Ireland)