Leicester v Wasps - LV= Cup match preview

Earlier this month, Croft made his return from a neck injury in the league win at Worcester and has been named in the Tigers starting line-up.

Boris Stankovich and Vereniki Goneva both return from injury and are included in the Tigers team.

Dan Bowden starts at fly-half with George Ford and Toby Flood on international duty, while Brett Deacon is named as captain. Matt Cornwell will start his first senior game at Welford Road since his return to the club last summer.

Academy products and England U20 squad members Tom Price and Harry Wells are in line for their club debuts, with Price named in the second row and Wells among the replacements.

Meanwhile, England U18 winger Tom Howe, an emerging star in the Wasps Academy set-up, is set to make his first professional appearance for the club having being handed a start out wide.

Recent arrivals Stuart Commins and Charlie Hayter make their debuts, at scrum-half and in the centres respectively.

While Wasps find themselves short at lock due to injuries and international call-ups, Oxford University's Will Rowlands makes his first start for the club in the second-row, with a great opportunity to impress.

Leicester: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Scott Hamilton, 13 Andy Forsyth, 12 Matt Cornwell, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Dan Bowden, 9 Sam Harrison, 8 Brett Deacon (capt), 7 Richard Thorpe, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Tom Price, 4 Rob Andrew, 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 2 Rob Hawkins, 1 Boris Stankovich.
Replacements: 16 George Chuter, 17 Jonny Harris, 17 Fraser Balmain, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Michael Noone, 21 Micky Young, 22 Andy Symons, 23 Adam Thompstone.

Wasps: 15 Jack Wallace, 14 Tom Howe, 13 Chris Mayor, 12 Charlie Hayter, 11 Jonah Holmes, 10 Tommy Bell, 9 Stuart Commins, 8 Sam Jones (capt), 7 Matt Everard, 6 Tinus Du Plessis, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 James Cannon, 3 Will Taylor, 2 Nathan Morris, 1 Tim Payne.
Replacements: 16 T Rhys Thomas, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Dave Hughes, 20 James Harris, 21 Will Robinson, 22 Chris Bell, 23 Hugo Southwell.

What they said...

London Wasps forwards coach Trevor Woodman

"The next two weeks offer a great opportunity for players who haven't had much rugby over the last few months to put their case forward.

"We need to manage our players in this fortnight so that guys who need a rest get it, and guys who need game-time get it. It's a difficult balance given the size of our squad and who we have missing, but the players involved will look at it as an opportunity.

"Leicester will have lost a lot of payers to the international set-up but they have a hugely strong squad and it's a tough place to go."