Newcastle v Leicester: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 07/03/15 7:36am
Leicester Tigers welcome back a trio of England internationals for Sunday’s Aviva Premiership trip to Kingston Park to face Newcastle Falcons.
Hooker Tom Youngs captains the Tigers for the first time, with Geoff Parling and Tom Croft selected at lock and blindside flanker respectively.
There is one change to the backline as Irishman Niall Morris replaces Blaine Scully on the wing, while Julian Salvi and Italy international Leonardo Ghiraldini are named among the replacements.
Newcastle have made three changes to the team that picked up a losing bonus point at Saracens last weekend.
Ruki Tipuna and Alex Rogers come in for injured duo Mike Blair and Juan Pablo Orlandi, while the fit-again Richard Mayhew starts at blindside flanker.
Brothers Alex and Mathew Tait will line up against each other, having both been named at full-back for their respective sides.
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Sinoti Sinoti, 13 Adam Powell, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Tom Catterick, 9 Ruki Tipuna; 1 Rob Vickers, 2 Scott Lawson, 3 Alex Rogers, 4 Kane Thompson, 5 Dom Barrow, 6 Richard Mayhew, 7 Will Welch, 8 Mark Wilson.
Replacements: 16 Rob Hawkins, 17 Mark Irving, 18 Rob O’Donnell, 19 Josh Furno, 20 Andy Saull, 21 Sonatane Takulua, 22 Gonzalo Tiesi, 23 Noah Cato.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Niall Morris, 13 Vereneki Goneva, 12 Seremaia Bai, 11 Adam Thompstone, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Sam Harrison; 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 4 Sebastian De Chaves, 5 Geoff Parling, 6 Tom Croft, 7 Jamie Gibson, 8 Laurence Pearce.
Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Jordan Crane, 20 Julian Salvi, 21 David Mele, 22 Tommy Bell, 23 Jack Roberts.
