Leicester Tigers have named their matchday squad for Saturday’s Festive Fixture at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Michael Cheika’s Tigers taking on Bristol Bears in round eight of the Gallagher Premiership.
Academy graduate Joe Heyes is named to make his 150th appearance for the club, a remarkable achievement for the 25-year-old tight head prop.
Scrum half Ben Youngs makes his first starting appearance of the season, his 248th time wearing the Tigers number nine jersey.
After making a big impact in his return from injury last week, lock Cameron Henderson partners George Martin in the second row, his first start in over a year.
The other headline selection comes in the midfield with Will Wand earning his first league start alongside Solomone Kata.
Speaking to media ahead of the games, Cheika said: “I’m told it’s going to be the biggest crowd of the year so far, so we’ll enjoy that.”
“Bears are playing good footy. We have to raise our game and meet a few challenges, but also present a few challenges of our own.”
STARTING XV
15 Freddie Steward [96]
14 Josh Bassett [20]
13 Will Wand [7]
12 Solomone Kata [26]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [32]
10 Handré Pollard [38]
9 Ben Youngs [322]
1 Nicky Smith [8]
2 Julián Montoya (C) [63]
3 Joe Heyes [149]
4 Cameron Henderson [48]
5 George Martin [70]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [116]
7 Tommy Reffell [122]
8 Olly Cracknell [51]
REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [104]
17 James Whitcombe [56]
18 Will Hurd [44]
19 Jed Holloway [2]
20 Emeka Ilione [30]
21 Jack van Poortvliet [81]
22 Jamie Shillcock [37]
23 Joseph Woodward [16]
Commentary
80
FULL TIME AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
The whistle goes at Mattioili Woods Welford Road.
80
CONVERSION MISSED | SHILLCOCK
The replacement fires wide.
TRY | JOSH BASSETT
A mammoth effort sees Leicester finally get that fourth try. The side keep flying into contact and eventually there's space wide for JVP to fling the miss pass over the top for Bassett to stroll in.
Bonus point secured.
CONVERSION | BEARS
Sam Worsely slots the extras.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
Kalaveti Ravouvou scores his second of the game, the Fijian flyer steaming through the gap and going all the way following a ceding of possession in the centre of the field.
67
LEICESTER SHOWING FIGHT
Leicester are trying to pry open this stubborn defence with quick hands and hard lines, the highlight when Pollard chips through a delightful nudge for Kata to run onto.
Eventually a penalty is won and kicked to touch.
SUBSTITUTIONS | TIGERS
Will Hurd, Jed Holloway, Emeka Ilione and Joseph Woodward are on for Heyes, Martin, Reffell and Wand.
CONVERSION | BEARS
Sam Worsley converts a simple kick to extend the lead.
CONVERSION | BEARS
Sam Worsley converts a simple kick to extend the lead.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
Tigers try to play out from their own line before clearing; however, Hassell-Collins' chip over is blocked and the ball bounces kindly to Benhard Janse van Rensburg to jog over unopposed.
56
ERRORS UNDO TIGERS ATTACK
Leciester are looking for that bonus point try. Slick passes get the ball into the hands of Hassell-Collins who makes significant metres, before Bears win the ball back and clear long.
Leicester get set for a line out in the opposition half but are pinged for a forward pass. Scrum for Bristol just outside their 22.
SUBSTITUTION | TIGERS
Jack van Poortvliet is on at half time for Ben Youngs.
CONVERSION | POLLARD
Pollard adds the extras.
TRY | FREDDIE STEWARD
Leicester show great endeavour to get over the line, relentless carries, lead by a spinning and swerving Sol Kata.
Eventually, with George Martin just short, Freddie Steward picks up and scores.
YELLOW CARD | GABRIEL OGHRE
The hooker is sent to the sin bin for an infringement close to the line.
46
TIGERS BUILDING INTO THE HALF
Leicester have held the majority of possession in this half and have made their way into the Bears 22 after forcing a penalty.
SECOND HALF IS UNDERWAY
The second period begins, Bears kicking off.
HALF TIME
Bears lead this contest at half time after a flurry of tries.
Half time score: Leicester Tigers 12 - 40 Bristol Bears
40
CONVERSION MISSED | BRISTOL BEARS
Worsely fires wide and the half time whistle is blown.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
A penalty is won just inside the Tigers half, kicked to touch.
The Bears rolling maul is halted, as are the succession of runners steaming in.
Eventually, Bristol maneuver the ball out the back and slickly fling it wide to Gabriel Ibitoye who sprints over in the corner.
CONVERSION | BRISTOL BEARS
Sam Worsely adds the extras.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
A deadly counter-attack.
Leicester play a succession of phases, going right to the line before being cruelly turned over on the whitewash.
With numbers condensed centrally Bears fling it wide, Mata offloading inside to Ibitoye steaming through. With just Steward back to cover, the wing loops the ball over the top and fullback Rich Lanehas clear space to run into and dive over.
32
GREAT TURNOVER
Will Wand wins a wicked turnover in defence, straight over the ball and allowing Pollard to kick to touch, inside the Bears 22.
CONVERSION | BRISTOL BEARS
Worsely slots the extras from in front of the posts.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
Bears attacking movement and slick offloading allows them to cut through again.
They're hauled down short but big No. 8 Viliame Mata crashes over a moment later to score.
SUBSTITUTION | BEARS
Leaving the field is AJ Macginty, replaced by Sam Worsley.
27
BEARS WIN IT BACK
Bears do well to defend the maul and eventually steal the ball back after a couple of phases.
They clear long and Steward runs it back before, a couple of phases later, Bears get another turnover, this time winning a penalty at the ruck. The ball is kicked to touch inside Tigers half.
24
TIGERS KICK TO TOUCH
Bears clear long and Leicester now look to play their way out, after retaining an expertly placed box kick from Ben Youngs.
With the ball ripped in midfield, however, Leicester lose the ball before conceding a free kick for early engagement at the scrum.
Tigers then win the ball back themselves, capitalising on misplaced handling before Pollard kicks down field, leading to a penalty Tigers.
Now the ball goes to the corner and we get set for the first dangerous line out of the game.
CONVERSION | BRISTOL BEARS
Macginty continues his strong form from the tee, slotting a difficult kick from the touchline.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
Kalaveti Ravouvou has looked dangerous all afternoon and the centre gets his reward here.
Again Bears break on halfway before keeping calm and playing the phases, Ravouvou eventually found in space to touch down.
It's like watching a tennis match here at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
CONVERSION | Handré Pollard
The Springbok makes no mistake this time and slams the conversion home.
TRY | OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS
What a Christmas cracker this match is turning out to be!
Bears try to play their way out from the 22 but are slotted and knock the ball on; two offloads later, Hassell-Collins has the gas to dive over in the left corner for his second of the match.
CONVERSION | BRISTOL BEARS
Macginty adds the extras.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
The hooker gets his second of the match.
Genge makes the break on halfway and has the pace to make it to the 22 before being hauled down by George Martin.
Bristol pile bodies into contact and Tigers hold out for several phases, including a superb try saver from Steward and Hassell-Collins.
Eventually the pressure tells though and Oghre steams over on a hard line.
CONVERSION | BRISTOL BEARS
Instrumental in the build up, AJ Macginty adds the extras.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
Hooker Gabriel Oghre runs in and levels the scores.
Pollard slips trying to clear the ball and cedes possession in a dangerous area. From there, Bears demonstrate their slick handling skills, moving the ball through the hands to allow prop Genge a clear run through, executing the simple pass to send Oghre over.
8
CONVERSION MISSED | Handré Pollard
Pollard shoots wide from the left hand touchline and it remains a five point game.
TRY | OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS
A shot from Joe Heyes forces a knock on in midfield and we have our second scrum of the match.
The forwards win a scrum penalty but Ben Youngs opts to play the advantage.
Solomone Kata crashes through two challenges in midfield before Pollard shows great hands to pick a wayward pass off his toes.
He flings it wide and Steward dummies and flies through a gap, crafting a 2 on 1.
It's executed to perfection and Hassell-Collins rides the tackle to plant the ball down for the game's opening score.
4
BATTLING START
First scrum of the match is rock solid from both sides.
Bears try to offload their way through at the first phase but Tigers defend well and steal the ball
The hosts crash up in waves, Steward, Kata and Heyes battling forward before the ball is lost and Leicester concede a penalty, kicked to halfway.
KICK OFF
Handré Pollard kicks us off and we are underway!
-2
SMOKE ON THE WATER
Through a haze of smoke, produced by the club's own fog machine, Julián Montoya leads out the team and we're set for action.
-9
LATE CHANGE FOR BRISTOL BEARS
A front row switch is necessitated, with prop Max Lahiff unable to feature.
George Kloska is instead named at tighthead, with Jimmy Haliwell now amongst the replacements.
-12
TIGERS TEAM NEWS
Academy graduate Joe Heyes is named to make his 150th appearance for the club, a remarkable achievement for the 25-year-old tight head prop.
Scrum half Ben Youngs makes his first starting appearance of the season, his 248th time wearing the Tigers number nine jersey.
After making a big impact in his return from injury last week, lock Cameron Henderson partners George Martin in the second row, his first start in over a year.
The other headline selection comes in the midfield with Will Wand earning his first league start alongside Solomone Kata.
Full Team News is available HERE.
-15
FIFTEEN MINUTES TO GO!
Just a quarter of an hour until Leicester Tigers battle Bristol Bears in our special festive fixture in the Gallagher Premiership.
A merry Mattioli Woods Welford Road is bouncing so get amongst the action, switch on TNT Sports to watch along or stick here with us on Matchday Live.