Preview: Leicester Tigers v Saracens
Jonah Holmes returns to the Leicester team for their Premiership game against Saracens after winning his first cap with Wales last weekend.
He starts at full-back as George Worth reverts to the bench in the only change to the backline following defeat at Gloucester last Friday.
Brendon O’Connor comes into the back-row with Guy Thompson ruled out by the leg injury he suffered at Kingsholm, and Will Spencer starts alongside Graham Kitchener in the second-row.
Mike Williams makes his 50th Premiership appearance for the club since his arrival from Worcester Warriors in 2015.
Meanwhile, Alex Lozowski returns to the Saracens line-up for Sunday’s trip to Leicester Tigers.
The centre, who last featured for the Men in Black against Glasgow Warriors in the Heineken Champions Cup, starts on the wing in the only backs change.
France international Christopher Tolofua will pack down in the front-row alongside Richard Barrington and Christian Judge while the back five of the scrum remains unchanged from last weekend’s win over Sale Sharks.
Hooker Tom Woolstencroft is amongst the replacements as is Matt Gallagher who has recovered from a minor knock.
Form: Leicester Tigers have won two of their last three Premiership Rugby matches. The Tigers record at Welford Road in all tournament this season is won three, lost three. Saracens are unbeaten in their last eighteen first team matches since being knocked out of the European Champions cup by eventual winners, Leinster, last April. Saracens have not lost in Premiership Rugby since Exeter beat them at Sandy Park in March. Leicester’s 28-20 victory at Allianz Park in February ended a four-game losing run to Saracens in the tournament. It took Saracens 34 attempts and 46 years to win for the first time at Welford Road in 2010, but since then their record there is won six, drawn one, lost three.
The teams:
Leicester: 15 Jonah Holmes, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Gareth Owen, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Jordan Olowofela, 10 Joe Ford, 9 Sam Harrison, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Brendon O’Connor, 6 Mike Williams, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Will Spencer, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 1 Greg Bateman
Replacements: 16 Jake Kerr, 17 Facundo Gigena, 18 Gaston Cortes, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Mike Fitzgerald, 21 Ben White, 22 Tom Hardwick, 23 George Worth
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Alex Lozowski, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Max Malins, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Mike Rhodes, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Dom Day, 3 Christian Judge, 2 Christopher Tolofua, 1 Richard Barrington
Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Hisa Sasagi, 19 Joel Kpoku, 20 Calum Clark, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Tom Whiteley, 23 Matt Gallagher
Date: Sunday, November 25
Venue: Welford Road
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Greg Macdonald, Simon Harding
TMO: David Rose