Steve Borthwick has named the Leicester Tigers matchday squad for the away game against Bath Rugby at The Recreation Ground in Round 17 of the Gallagher Premiership season.
Richard Wigglesworth will captain the side from scrum-half, with hooker Julián Montoya named vice-captain for Saturday’s league fixture.
They will have a big crowd there, including what will undoubtedly be a great away group of our supporters, and I have no doubt that they will be very keen on getting a good result at The Rec against Leicester Tigers.
Montoya is joined by Francois van Wyk and Joe Heyes in a new-look starting front-row.
Heyes is the lone Leicester player released by England, with Ollie Chessum, George Ford, Ellis Genge, Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs retained by the national squad as they prepare for their upcoming Six Nations fixture against Wales.
The 22-year-old returns to action for Tigers after missing last Friday’s win over Northampton Saints while part of England’s travelling squad to Rome.
Charlie Clare, James Whitcombe and Will Hurd are the replacement front-rowers on the Leicester bench.
If used, Hurd will make his first appearance of the 21/22 league season.
In the second row, Harry Wells and Eli Snyman are the starting locks, with Calum Green included among the replacements after starting the last seven matches.
George Martin returns to the starting side at blindside flanker alongside Tommy Reffell and Jasper Wiese in the Tigers back row.
Hanro Liebenberg is the remaining forward included by Borthwick on the bench.
In an unchanged backline from Round 16, Wigglesworth and Freddie Burns are the starting half-backs, Dan Kelly and Guy Porter the midfield pairing and Nemani Nadolo, Harry Potter and Bryce Hegarty the Leicester back-three.
Jack van Poortvliet, Matt Scott and Chris Ashton are the replacement backs.
Speaking about the matchday squad named to travel to Bath, Borthwick said: "We are privileged to have such brilliant fans here at Leicester Tigers and what they deserve, every week, is a team that plays hard. We want our performances to make our supporters proud."
Looking ahead to Saturday's fixture and Leicester's opponents, the Tigers Head Coach added: "There has been a lot of investment, on and off the pitch, in that group over a number of years and you can see the quality throughout it.
"The group Stuart Hooper has there is a seriously impressive group of players.
"They will have a big crowd there, including what will undoubtedly be a great away group of our supporters, and I have no doubt that they [Bath] will be very keen on getting a good result at The Rec against Leicester Tigers."
STARTING XV
15 Bryce Hegarty [9]
14 Harry Potter [29]
13 Guy Porter [33]
12 Dan Kelly [36]
11 Nemani Nadolo [26]
10 Freddie Burns [89]
9 Richard Wigglesworth (c) [27]
1 Francois van Wyk [9]
2 Julián Montoya (vc) [18]
3 Joe Heyes [88]
4 Harry Wells [143]
5 Eli Snyman [11]
6 George Martin [31]
7 Tommy Reffell [65]
8 Jasper Wiese [31]
REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [41]
17 James Whitcombe [14]
18 Will Hurd [4]
19 Calum Green [78]
20 Hanro Liebenberg [46]
21 Jack van Poortvliet [37]
22 Matt Scott [39]
23 Chris Ashton [1]
