Connon off target with the Newcastle conversion with just one point between the teams. Falcons 29-28 Tigers.  

Debut try for No8 Sean Jansen is ruled out after TMO broguht attention to lineout drive. 

Off-target with the conversion but Falcons lead 24-14 on 47mins.

Dan Lancaster will us under way in the second half with Tigers 5 points down at 19-14. 

Falcons miss the conversion of the Earle try and Tigers are 7-5 in front at Kingston Park.

Nice break by Murimurivalu and Saumaki from spilled ball but Falcons get back to force ball loose on the floor. 

An early change as Jacob Cusick is on to replace Jaco Taute in midfield. Tigers working hard in midfield but keeping Falcons in the middle third of the pitch.

After a sunny afternoon, there are clear skies at Kingston Park, a good evening for rugby. We are 10 minutes from kick-off.

A late change in the Newcastle line-up sees Ollie Lindsay-Hague ruled out, with Zach Kerr to start at No14. George Wacokecoke comes into the squad at No23.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Zach Kerr, 13 Max Wright, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Nathan Earle, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Louis Schreuder; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Charlie Maddison, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 George Merrick, 5 Rob Farrar, 6 Callum Chick (c), 7 Freddie Lockwood, 8 Tom Marshall.

Replacements: 16 Robbie Smith, 17 Conrad Cade, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Matthew Dalton, 20 Jamie Blamire, 21 James Blackett, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 George Wacokecoke.

Back-rower Olly Robinson is out of tonight’s game as he stays home with his wife who is due to give birth. Nathan Tweedy, on loan from Nottingham Rugby, comes into the back-row and teenager Simon Koroiyadi from the Tigers Academy joins the Leicester bench.

STARTING XV
15 Kini Murimurivalu [33], 14 Kobus van Wyk [17], 13 Jaco Taute (c) [18], 12 Juan Pablo Socino [6], 11 Hosea Saumaki [8], 10 Dan Lancaster [2], 9 Jonny Law [3]; 1 Francois van Wyk (vc) [13], 2 Archie Vanes [2], 3 Will Hurd [4], 4 Josh Poullet [1], 5 David Douglas Bridge [0], 6 Tomiwa Agbongbon [2], 7 Nathan Tweedy [0], 8 Sean Jansen [0]

REPLACEMENTS:
16 David Aniebonam [0], 17 Dan Richardson [2],18 Nephi Leatigaga [61], 19 Chester Owen [0],20 Simon Koroiyadi [0], 21 Sam Edwards [1], 22 Morgan Meredith [0], 23 Jacob Cusick [2]

The top two teams in Pool 2 of the Premiership Rugby Cup meet at Kingston Park this evening with Leicester Tigers on nine points and Newcastle Falcons just three points behind after the opening rounds.

The Tigers team includes seven players who could make their club debut and five others who are set to start for a first time after previous experience off the bench.

Jaco Taute, who makes his first appearance of the season, captains a squad which includes seven Tigers Academy graduates.

Tigers beat Sale Sharks and Wasps in the pre-Christmas rounds of this competition, while Falcons took five points from a 34-27 win over Wasps and a point from defeat at Sale.

Alex Tait, Luther Burrell and captain Callum Chick are the experienced names in the team announced by Falcons, while England international hooker Jamie Blamire has been named as back-row cover among the replacements.

The three pool winners and the highest-ranked second-place team across all three pools qualify for the semi-finals.

Referee this evening is Sara Cox.

We’re LIVE as Leicester Tigers travel to the North-East to face Newcastle Falcons in the Premiership Rugby Cup this evening. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.

Keep up to date with all of the action wherever you are this evening right here with our Matchday Live service on the Tigers App and website at www.leicestertigers.com.