Young side named to meet Ospreys

The Ospreys have become regular opponents for the Tigers since the Welsh sides inception in 2003.  Friday's game will be the 12th between the two sides in only 8 seasons; Tigers have a won 5, lost 4, drawn 2 record but have won only 2 of the 8 most recent fixtures.  In the Anglo-Welsh Cup we have faced the Swansea side 3 previous times, the victorious first half of the double in 2007, Loffreda's folly in the 2008 final and a particularly dispiriting thrashing in the Bridgend rain with a young side in 2010.

Tigers coach Richard Cockerill has made 13 changes from the side was so disapointing last Friday in defeat to Harlequins.  Harry Thacker, Javiah Pohe and George Catchpole all make their first starts in the First XV, whilst Miles Benjamin, Sebastian De Chaves and Joe Cain all make their home debuts.

Only 4 players in the Tigers side have played for the club more than 10 times: Scott Hamilton, Sam Harrison, Boris Stankovich and Thomas Waldrom.  The side combined has less than 300 starts for the club.

Ospreys pick a fairly young side featuring Sam Davies the 2013 Junior World Player of the Year.  The son of Gloucester's Director of Rugby Nigel Davies is a fly half whose skill and guile led Wales Under 20s to victory over South Africa and a place in the World Cup final.  

Leicester Tigers
15 Scott Hamilton
14 Blaine Scully
13 George Catchpole
12 Javiah Pohe
11 Miles Benjamin
10 Owen Williams
9 Sam Harrison
1 Boris Stankovich (c)
2 Harry Thacker
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Joe Cain
5 Sebastian de Chaves
6 Michael Noone
7 Jamie Gibson
8 Thomas Waldrom
Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Tom Bristow
18 Tiziano Pasquali
19 Tom Price
20 Harry Wells
21 David Mélé
22 Perry Humphreys
23 Henry Purdy

Ospreys
15 Ross Jones
14 Hanno Dirksen
13 Tom Isaacs
12 Matthew Jenkins
11 Tom Grabham
10 Sam Davies
9 Tom Habberfield
1 Marc Thomas
2 Matthew Dwyer
3 Joe Rees
4 Lloyd Peers (c)
5 Rhodri Hughes
6 Graham Knoop
7 Arthur Ellis
8 Morgan Allen Replacements
16 Rhys Hutcherson
17 Nicky Smith
18 Dan Suter
19 Sam Williams
20 Jack Jones
21 Jake Cole
22 Nathan Edwards
23 Aisea Natoga

Referee: David Rose
TV: Sky Sports 2HD, 7:30 for a 7:45 KO