RugbyRebels

Steve Borthwick has named the Leicester Tigers matchday squad for the club’s away game against Northampton Saints this Saturday in Round 3 of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season.

Hanro Liebenberg captains the side, supported by vice-captains Dan Cole and Jack van Poortvliet.

Included in the matchday squad is Freddie Steward, who will make his first appearance of the season after touring Australia with the England senior men’s squad in the summer. The match is also the Tigers Academy graduate’s 50th starting appearance for Leicester.

After missing the Round 2 win over Newcastle Falcons, Freddie Burns returns to partner van Poortvliet as the starting half-backs.

In his first start of the campaign, the scrum-half will make his 50th senior appearance for the club.

STARTING XV:
15 Freddie Steward [56]
14 Harry Potter [43]
13 Guy Porter [46]
12 Jimmy Gopperth [2]
11 Nemani Nadolo [38]
10 Freddie Burns [104]
9 Jack van Poortvliet (vc) [49]
1 James Cronin [2]
2 Charlie Clare [54]
3 Dan Cole (vc) [292]
4 Ollie Chessum [32]
5 Calum Green [92]
6 George Martin [41]
7 Tommy Reffell [80]
8 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [61]

REPLACEMENTS:
16 Joe Taufete’e [1]
17 Francois van Wyk [19]
18 Joe Heyes [102]
19 Harry Wells [158]
20 Olly Cracknell [2]
21 Ben Youngs [284]
22 Phil Cokanasiga [2]
23 Chris Ashton [14]

Saints XV: 15 George Furbank, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Matt Proctor, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Sam Matavesi, 3 Alfie Petch, 4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 5 Alex Coles, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Lewis Ludlam (c), 8 Juarno Augustus

Saints Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Alex Moon, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Tom James, 22 James Grayson, 23 Tom Collins

Damn that's a strong looking Saints side. I think the few missing Tigers are going to be more noticeable than I'd hoped they would be.

Good to see Freddie Burns back - we'll need him on form to get a result here. Bit disappointed in terms of his overall management to see Steward recalled, but there's no denying that we'll need him here - hopefully we have plans to rest him more later.

Really big test of where we stand this season. You're not wrong in that being a fearsome Saints side.

Puja

To be fair to Tigers Steward has been given the full 10 weeks rest period. Not many other England players have. I know he played a lot of games last season but we can't just wrap him in bubble wrap until the AIs roll around.

Very interested to see how Iyogun and Petch go,. Tasty match up at SH.

Happy with that Saints selection - particularly the props, who have shown up the starting props off the bench in the last two games. Think Collins is unlucky to drop to the bench, suspect that is focussed on defence of Nadolo hence Proctor on the wing. Very good to have Freeman, Lawes and Ludlam back in the team.

Will be interesting to see the battle between Mitchell and JvP. Mitchell has looked very good in the first two games this season.

FKAS wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:59 pm To be fair to Tigers Steward has been given the full 10 weeks rest period. Not many other England players have. I know he played a lot of games last season but we can't just wrap him in bubble wrap until the AIs roll around.

My mistake - I thought he was owed another week for the 10 weeks to be up. Still does need a lot more rest this season than he got last, but there'll be better opportunities than a Saints game!

Puja

It's a hard one to call this, last season in the semi final game I felt like I knew how it would play out. I think I called it as well, Saints all guns blazing in the first half and as long as Tigers could stay in touch they'd take the game away from Saints in the second as Saints faded. There's no form to really go on for this one will all the England players just coming back etc.

Two things worry me a little. First is that Dickson is reffing and he really does de-power the rolling maul. He has a tendency to prefer teams to get it out and play and I think that is noticeable on his decision making as the attacking team is less likely to get the penalty or penalty try from him unless the defensive offence is completely blatant. The second is that Saints were good at holding up the Tigers scrum in the semi final last season, wasn't always particularly legal but who cares as long as the ref doesn't blow the whistle. If Tigers don't have those set pieces to fall back on then the attack really needs to show up and although there were periods last weekend when it looked good the quality of defence will be considerably better this week.

I can see this being a back and forth game but Saints unfortunately taking victory by being more clinical in the 22 than Tigers.

On paper, that Northampton side should win comfortably.

Just noticed that Tigers have named a captain and two vice captains. How many do you need?

Nice to see so many good, young England players.

Adam_P wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 6:41 pm Just noticed that Tigers have named a captain and two vice captains. How many do you need?

Well we officially announced the captain and vice captain last season but this season it's just an official captain and then Cole and the scrum half as vice captains. Sounds like an excuse for those most likely to want a chirp at the referee to be able to do so.

Healey has forgotten to take his overshoe covers off.

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 2:33 pm Healey has forgotten to take his overshoe covers off.

it's normally between him and Monye in the competition for most tragic fashion sense.

Dayglo already sounds well out of his depth and the game hasn't started, how on earth does he still have a job?

Wow, Saints lose the kicking battle and initially get driven back and then two beautiful kicks has Tigers under pressure with a lineout in their own 22.

Tigers go 3-0 up though. Scrum pen then kick to touch lineout and Dingwall gets run over by Nadolo but bounces back to his feet to get pinged at the next breakdown for not rolling away.

BOOOOO.

I can't see two hands from Steward there at all - awful call

Fun start.

Saints look ominous in attack and only a forward pass stops them scoring the first try of the game.

Adam_P wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 3:10 pm I can't see two hands from Steward there at all - awful call

It's Porter. Two hands are up but saying he tries to catch the ball is generous.

Is that two more bump offs for Dingwall? He's not having much fun in defence.

Fantastic try.

Furbank is soooo good going forward.

FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 3:18 pm Is that two more bump offs for Dingwall? He's not having much fun in defence.

Yeah not often he gets bounced despite his size. Bet he's loving this game so far

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 3:19 pm Furbank is soooo good going forward.

This.