Tigers line-up for Warriors clash
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Richard Wigglesworth will captain Leicester Tigers in just his fifth appearance for the club against Worcester Warriors at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday in Round 8 of the 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership season.
The scrum-half will be backed up by Fiji international Nemani Nadolo on the wing and club captain Tom Youngs from the bench.
Wigglesworth partners Zack Henry as the half-backs, with international duo Matt Scott and Matías Moroni combining in the midfield.
An unchanged back three of Nadolo, Kobus Van Wyk and Freddie Steward completes the Tigers backline.
In the front row, Julián Montoya makes his first starting appearance alongside props Luan de Bruin and Dan Cole.
After arriving at Tigers in mid-January, the Argentina international was used from the bench for his debut against Sale Sharks last weekend.
Montoya’s international team-mate Tomás Lavanini returns to the starting team alongside Calum Green in the second of three changes to the Leicester pack.
In the back row, Cyle Brink is included to form an all-South African unit alongside Hanro Liebenberg and Jasper Wiese.
Youngs, who made his 200th appearance for the club in Round 7, is joined by Nephi Leatigaga, Joe Heyes, Harry Wells and George Martin as the forwards on the Tigers bench.
Fiji international Kini Murimurivalu is included alongside Jack Van Poortvliet and Johnny McPhillips as the replacement backs.
Speaking about the matchday squad, Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick said: “It’s important that this squad delivers an 80-minute performance. We are all looking forward to the match and, as a coaching team, we are happy to have some continuity in our line-up and to have the chance to continue to work on the combinations in this Tigers team and build the relationships between guys who have not played a lot of rugby together.”
Discussing the visitors, Borthwick added: “Worcester are a good, tough rugby team with experience across the side and a good understanding of one another out on the pitch.
“We are going to have to play very well this weekend against a Worcester team coming to Mattioli Woods Welford Road on the back of a good performance in the last round.”
Leicester Tigers (v Worcester Warriors, home, Saturday 3.00pm)
15 Freddie Steward [18]
14 Kobus Van Wyk [5]
13 Matías Moroni [2]
12 Matt Scott [11]
11 Nemani Nadolo [8]
10 Zack Henry [13]
9 Richard Wigglesworth [4]
1 Luan de Bruin [2]
2 Julián Montoya [1]
3 Dan Cole [248]
4 Tomás Lavanini [22]
5 Calum Green [47]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [21]
7 Cyle Brink [6]
8 Jasper Wiese [6]
REPLACEMENTS
16 Tom Youngs [200]
17 Nephi Leatigaga [35]
18 Joe Heyes [53]
19 Harry Wells [106]
20 George Martin [5]
21 Jack Van Poortvliet [8]
22 Johnny McPhillips [9]
23 Kini Murimurivalu [6]
[club appearances in brackets]
