Premiership | Leicester vs London Irish lineups, stats and more

Leicester vs London Irish

The penultimate match-up of Round 16 sees two of the competition’s struggling sides pitted against one another.

Leicester, who are in somewhat of a rebuilding phase after an exodus of top players during the hiatus, have not tasted victory since Round 12, against Worcester, while Exiles find themselves winless since they took on Gloucester in Round 11.

Exiles’ hope will burn brighter than that of their rivals as they managed to beat the latter by a healthy 25 points in Round 4 - the last time the teams met.

It was a game that Exiles will hope to replicate and Leicester will hope to forget as the latter had no answer to the former’s truly superb attacking, expansive play which rendered them unbeatable during an action-packed 80 minutes.

London Irish are currently two spots and eight points ahead of Leicester and, with both teams hungry to resume winning ways, the spectacle should be an interesting one.

Team News

Leicester Tigers

Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick has made 14 changes to the matchday squad for Wednesday evening’s Premiership game against London Irish at Welford Road.

Ellis Genge and Tom Youngs return after missing Saturday’s fixture and are joined in the front row by fellow international Dan Cole, who came off the bench against Bath at the weekend.

Tigers Academy graduates Harry Wells and Calum Green make up the second row with Hanro Liebenberg included at blindside flanker for his first start since the Premiership resumed. He is alongside Tommy Reffell and Jordan Taufua.

Ben Youngs and George Ford return at half-back with fellow international pairing Matt Scott and Jaco Taute in the midfield.

Nemani Nadolo will make his highly-anticipated debut for Leicester while David Williams, who made his senior club debut away to Exeter in Round 15, is on the other wing.

London Irish

Harry Elrington, Motu Matu’u and Sekope Kepu make up the front row, with George Nott and Sebastian de Chaves continuing their partnership in the second row.

Ben Donnell is named at blindside flanker and Blair Cowan captains the side from openside flanker. Albert Tuisue continues in the number 8 jersey.

Ben Meehan and Paddy Jackson are chosen to start at scrum-half and fly-half respectively, as Terrence Hepetema and Curtis Rona combine in the centres.

London Irish Academy graduates make up the back three, with Ollie Hassell-Collins and Tom Parton named on the wings and Tom Homer at full-back.