Leicester Tigers Host Sale Sharks in Blockbuster Premiership Fixture
The stage is set for a thrilling encounter at Mattioli Woods Welford Road as Leicester Tigers, second in the Premiership table, welcome Sale Sharks, who sit third, in a highly anticipated Round 16 clash. According to Planet Rugby, Leicester Tigers boss Michael Cheika has been boosted by the return from injury of experienced trio Olly Cracknell, James Cronin, and Matt Rogerson.
Cracknell, who missed Leicester’s last outing, returns to start at number eight for his 19th appearance of the campaign. Cronin is back after 12 weeks on the sidelines, having last played in February’s Premiership Rugby Cup clash with Coventry, while Rogerson returns after missing just one game, with his last appearance coming in the away win over Bristol Bears. As Planet Rugby reports, the backline will see Jack van Poortvliet and Handre Pollard link up in the half-backs, while Joe Woodward and Solomone Kata continue in midfield.
The in-form Freddie Steward will start at full-back, with Ollie Hassell-Collins and Adam Radwan forming a lightning-fast wing partnership. Meanwhile, lock Jonny Hill returns to Sale Sharks’ starting XV as Alex Sanderson makes just one change to his team to face Cheika’s men. As quoted in Planet Rugby, the teams for the match are as follows:
Leicester Tigers:
15 Freddie Steward, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Solomone Kata, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 8 Olly Cracknell, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Cameron Henderson, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Nicky Smith
Replacements:
16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Cronin, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Matt Rogerson, 20 Emeka Ilione, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Dan Kelly
Sale Sharks:
15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rob du Preez (c), 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Arron Reed, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 JL du Preez, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Ben Bamber, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements:
16 Tadgh McElroy, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Ben Curry, 21 Dan du Preez, 22 Raffi Quirke, 23 Tom O’Flaherty
The match promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams boasting a strong squad and a high level of form. As reported by Planet Rugby, the venue for the match is Mattioli Woods Welford Road, with kick-off scheduled for 19:45 BST (18:45 GMT). Matthew Carley will referee the match, assisted by Joe James and Wayne Falla, with Dean Richards operating as TMO.
In related news, Planet Rugby also reports that England star Jonny Hill’s return to Sale Sharks’ starting XV comes as a boost to the team, and it will be interesting to see how he performs against Leicester Tigers.
The Premiership has been heating up in recent weeks, with several teams vying for a spot in the top four. As noted by Planet Rugby, this match between Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams looking to secure a vital win in their quest for a top-four spot.
In conclusion, the stage is set for a highly anticipated match between Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks, with both teams boasting a strong squad and a high level of form. As reported by Planet Rugby, the match promises to be an exciting encounter, and fans will be eagerly anticipating the kick-off.
