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

Luckless Young out again

Micky Young's leg injury which forced him off the field last Sunday in Oxford is worse than first feared.  He has a suspected broken ankle and is now expected to miss up to 8 weeks.  A further piece of bad luck is that he is now scheduled to return soon after Ben Youngs' own return from injury, further pushing him down the roster.

Young has endured a torrid time in Leicester since his move from Newcastle in 2011, first he was injured then against Aironi in January, on his first start in The Stripes, he was controversially suspend for "accidental" gouging.  There was no physical evidence and no supporting witness statements could be found.

All this has contributed to Young falling behind Sam Harrison in the battle for Tigers 9 berth, when his original intention was to challenge Ben Youngs for his England place.  He has only started 2 games, and featured from the bench in another 6.

Tiger Woods accpets retirement

Ben Woods has sadly had to accept that is career is finished.  Woods has a wrist injury which has proven impossible to recover from.  Woods originally suffered the injury against Newcastle almost 3 years ago.  There have been several abortive attempts at a come back but now that the pain is so much that he can barely button his shirt he has decided that his race is run. 

Woods enjoyed a good career at Leicester playing 70 games including a winning Premiership final, against London Irish in 2009, and scoring a try, to put Tigers 7 points clear, in the ultimately unsuccessful 2009 Heineken Cup final against Leinster.

Woods went to QEGS Wakefield, Durham University and Hughes Hall, Cambridge so post career employment shouldn't be too hard to find.  He was also the Leicester representative for the Professional Rugby Players Association.

Woods started his professional career at Newcastle Falcons, playing 64 times, before coming to Leicester at the same as Toby Flood.  He also represented England's second team, the "Saxons" 8 times including once at Welford Road against Ireland 'A' in 2008.  

Tigers 'A' lose in Development Derby to Northampton

Tigers opened their Aviva 'A' League campaign with a 47-14 loss away to Northampton.

More to follow.

Tigers name 'A' side for Development Derby with Northampton

Tigers:
15 Niall Morris
14 Miles Benjamin
13 Adam Thompstone
12 Dan Bowden
11 Alex Lewington
10 Matt Cornwell (c)
9 Scott Steele
1 Fraser Balmain
2 Rob Hawkins
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Harry Wells
5 Joe Cain
6 Luca Guillame
7 Thomas Sourice
8 Richard Thorpe

Replacements:
16 Jimmy Stevens
17 Jonny Harris
18 Ryan Bower
19 Joe Atkinson
20 Jake Albon
21 Harrison Lee-Everton
22 Pasqualle Dunn
23 Henry Purdy

Thomas Sourice is a 28 year old French flanker formerly of Toulon.  Luca Guillaume is a former trainee from Montpellier.  Joe Atkinson is originally from the same Hampshire club as Tim Rodber, so a fitting opponent for his any level Tigers debut, and currently is studying at Loughborough University.  He played in the World Champion GB sevens team alongside former Tigers Dante Mama and Sam Edgerly.  Henry Purdy is a former Wasps academy member, who actually scored a try for England Under-18s against the Tigers Academy at Welford Road last year.  He has played A league rugby for Wasps so is no stranger to this level.

Northampton's side is:
15 James Wilson
14 Noah Cato
13 Tom May
12 Luther Burrell
11 Scott Armstrong
10 Stephen Myler
9 Martin Roberts
1 Alex Waller
2 Mike Haywood
3 Tom Mercey
4 Tom Hicks
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Rhys Oakley
7 Teimana Harrison
8 Mark Hopley (c)
Replacements
16 Ross McMillan
17 Ethan Waller
18 Paul Doran Jones
19 Alex Woolford
20 Ben Nutley
21 Ryan Glynn
22 Will Hooley
23 Tom Stephenson

Wells and Price named for England Under 20s

Academy forwards Harry Wells and Tom Price have both been named in England's Under 20s Elite Player Squad for the 2012/13 season.  

Price, a 6'9" lock originally from Stratford-upon-Avon, retains his place from last years squad.  Born on 22nd January he will be one of the oldest players in the age group which has a cut off date of the 1st of January.

Wells, a lock-cum-flanker is a Peterborough native and this is his first call up by England at any level.

Tigers Topple Taffs

Tigers strolled home to a 38-13 win as London Welsh hosted them in their new home, the Kassam Stadium.  Tigers burst out of the blocks to take a 17-0 lead with two Waldrom tries, the first coming after excellent passes by Tom Youngs and Geoff Parling to put away Waldrom in the corner the second a more standard catch and drive. 

Welsh pegged them back with the next 2 tries through Tom Arscott and Hudson Tonga'uiha.  Arscott through a terrific dummy before coolly finishing.  On the stroke of half time Tonga'uiha picked the ball up, blatently from the middle of the ruck, and charged over the line.  Why the referee decided to ignore the off side line will go down as one of life's mysteries.

Tigers bounced back after the break though to seal the win.  Good build up work by Manu Tuilagi formed a ruck in the Welsh 22, slick passing culminating with Tony Allen utilising a fijian flip to put Geoff Parling to the line.

The bonus point try was secured after 48 minutes by Julian Salvi picking and going after a ruck formed from a Tom Youngs burst.  The 5th and final try went to Flying Fijian winger Vereniki Goneva who tipped toed his way down the line after Scott Hamilton drew in the last defender.