Teams named for Welford Road season opener

Tigers make 4 changes to the side that scored 5 tries away to Worcester as Sam Harrison replaces the injured Micky Young, Graham Kitchener returns to fitness at the expense of Rob Andrew and the props are all swapped.  Scott Hamilton is set for his 100th start in The Stripes while Pat Phibbs could make his competitive debut from the bench.

15 Geordan Murphy (c)
14 Scott Hamilton
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi
12 Anthony Allen
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Toby Flood
9 Sam Harrison
1 Boris Stankovich
2 Tom Youngs
3 Martin Castrogiovanni
4 Graham Kitchener
5 Geoff Parling
6 Steve Mafi
7 Julian Salvi
8 Thomas Waldrom

Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins
17 Logovi'i Mulipola
18 Dan Cole
19 Rob Andrew
20 Jordan Crane
21 Pat Phibbs
22 George Ford
23 Matt Smith

Worcester name an unchanged side from the one that fell to a last minute penalty at home to Bath.  Former Sale and Toulon lock Dean Schofield captains them in only his second game for the club.  Andy Goode, 5 time English Champion with Tigers, is again preferred to the flaky Joe Carlisle.  Both Worcester's centers are English born and raised though both play international rugby for other countries, Grove for Scotland and Matavesi for Fiji.
Worcester Warriors
15 Chris Pennell
14 Josh Drauniniu
13 Alex Grove
12 Josh Matavesi
11 David Lemi
10 Andy Goode
9 Shaun Perry
1 Matt Mullan
2 Aleki Lutui
3 John Andress
4 James Percival
5 Dean Schofield (c)
6 Chris Jones
7 Sam Betty
8 Semisi Taulava

Replacements
16 Ollie Hayes
17 Ceri Jones
18 James Currie
19 Craig Gillies
20 Matt Kvesic
21 Jonny Arr
22 Joe Carlisle
23 Ben Howard

Vereniki Very Goody!

Tigers new flying Fijian Vereniki Goneva had a home debut to remember grabbing a brace of tries against local rivals Nottingham as Tigers romped to a ten-try 64-7 win.  Opposite winger Scotty Hamilton also bagged a brace, whilst Alex Lewington also chipped in with a try to round off a prolific day for the Welford Wingers!

Both Goneva and Hamilton had potential hat trick scores ruled out, with Goneva also providing the scoring pass for try number 7, scored by Tony Allen.

Tigers other scores came from backrow trio JC, on his first Welford Road appearance for over a year, Richard "Thorpedo" Thorpe, also a home debutant,  and Thomas "The Tank" Waldrom.  

Nottingham started with 6 ex-Tigers and their score was by one of that number Matt Parr from a charged down Micky Young kick.