Leicester Tigers name side to play Ampthill

Dan McKellar has named the matchday squad for Sunday’s Premiership Rugby Cup game against Ampthill Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

The Leicester Tigers Head Coach has made twelve changes to the starting side who defeated Sale Sharks in Round 2.

Emeka Ilione and Kyle Hatherell are the only players named to start this weekend who featured from kick-off in the away win over Sale.

Matt Rogerson, who was a late withdrawal from last Friday’s side through illness, has recovered and will make his Leicester Tigers debut.

Joseph Woodward, who will partner Phil Cokanasiga in the midfield, will make his first appearance of the 23/24 campaign.

The starting line-up features ten players, including Rogerson, to have made single-digit appearances for the club.

Nic Dolly captains the side for a second successive home game after leading out the team in the 50-6 win over Caldy RFC at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in Round 1. 

Included among the replacements are Tom Manz and Sam Edwards, who are in line for their first appearances of the season, and potential debutant Elliot Gourlay.

If the trio of youngsters are used off the bench on Sunday, the total number of players to have featured in the opening three rounds by McKellar will be 36.

Handré Pollard, who got his first run out of the campaign last Friday night, is unavailable after being called into the South Africa squad at the Rugby World Cup - taking the tally of Leicester Tigers representatives in France for the tournament to ten.

STARTING XV
15 Jamie Shillcock [2]
14 Harry Simmons [34]
13 Phil Cokanasiga [7]
12 Joseph Woodward [6]
11 Jacob Cusick [9]
10 Kieran Wilkinson [1]
9 Tom Whitley [5]
1 James Whitcombe [37]
2 Nic Dolly (c) [25]
3 Will Hurd [25]
4 Lewis Chessum [7]
5 Finn Carnduff [6]
6 Matt Rogerson *
7 Emeka Ilione [12]
8 Kyle Hatherell [2]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Archie Vanes [7]
17 Francois van Wyk [32]
18 Dan Richardson [11]
19 Tom Manz [4]
20 Joshua Manz [6]
21 Sam Edwards [9]
22 Guy Porter [61]
23 Elliot Gourlay *