Leicester field all-Welsh back-row as Wainwright set for competitive debut against Saracens

Aaron Wainwright will make his competitive Leicester Tigers debut when the club host Saracens at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Sunday, forming an all-Welsh back-row alongside Tommy Reffell and Olly Cracknell in what is the Tigers’ first Premiership home game of the season.

Wainwright, signed from the Dragons in the summer, starts at blindside flanker, with Reffell at openside and Cracknell at number eight. The trio’s shared international background gives Leicester an unusual degree of familiarity across the back-row, something head coach Geoff Parling will be hoping translates into cohesion against one of the division’s most physical sides.

In the front row, Mako Vunipola faces his former club for the first time at loosehead prop, with Samiuela Moli at hooker and Joe Heyes — making his return to the starting line-up — at tighthead. Finn Carnduff, who recently extended his contract with the club, partners Cameron Henderson in the second row.

Freddie Steward returns to the starting XV at full-back, while the wing pairing of Adam Radwan and Gabriel Hamer-Webb is retained from the PREM Cup fixture against Newcastle Red Bulls. Ollie Hassell-Collins drops to the bench. Solomone Kata and Joseph Woodward start in the centres, with Billy Searle and captain Jack van Poortvliet — winning his 114th appearance for the club — at fly-half and scrum-half.

Among the replacements is Corbin Thunder, a last-minute short-term loan arrival from Sale FC who is in line for his Tigers debut, and Joaquin Moro, returning from international duty with Argentina.

The fixture is tracking towards a near-sellout, with 85 per cent of tickets sold ahead of kick-off.

“We’re excited to have our first PREM game of the season at home in front of our fans and against Saracens,” said Parling. “They are always important, but we know that the collisions on both sides of the ball will decide who can drive their game and exert the most pressure.”