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Tigers v Falcons 26/1/08
By Leipziger January 22 2008
The Falcons return to the Premiership this weekend with Europe put to bed for two months, and with a four-match winning run behind them travel to Leicester a year after their last visit to Welford Road. That day was a glorious one off the pitch, if not on it, and we expect similar on Saturday.

That day, 27th January 2007, the Stranglers and the Minx helped us take 16,000 Midlanders to the cleaners in the stands.  Unfortunately, on the field, we suffered another heavy beating at the hands of the eventual double-winners.

 

Anthony Elliott's first half try cut the deficit after two Paul Burke penalties, but scores from Shane Jennings, Marcos Ayerza, Jordan Crane and Tom Varndell (2) gave Leicester a 39-15 win to avenge two previous defeats at Kingston Park, and what should have been a defeat when we drew 16-16 at Welford Road in October 2005.

 

Overall, our only competitive win in Leicester came in December 1997 on the way to our only league championship, and we have twice recorded record losses at Welford Road, most recently a traumatic 83-10 in February 2005.

 

Leicester are the current Champions and EDF Energy Cup holders, and stand third in the league going into this weekend's games, five points behind leaders Gloucester.

 

Overall, the Tigers are experiencing a mixed season, they are out of the Heineken Cup following losses at Edinburgh, Leinster and Toulouse, but meet Wasps in Cardiff in the EDF semi-final in March.  Only four teams have so far visited Leicester so far in the league, but only Gloucester have won with Bath, Worcester and London Irish all being put to the sword.

 

Our hosts' last Premiership outing was at Harlequins on January 6th, and after leading only 6-10 at half time, the Tigers were rampant after the break with Toms Croft and Varndell (who also scored before the break) crossing for a brace each, sealing a 13-42 win.

 

This weekend next season would see both sides decimated by international call-ups, however we have team Mathew Tait, Toby Flood, Jamie Noon and Jonny Wilkinson, who has this week signed a new two-year contract at Kingston Park, all available despite being in in the England 6 Nations squad.

 

The Tigers are missing six England stars over tournament, with George Chuter, former Falcon Martin Corry, Louis Deacon, Harry Ellis, Lewis Moody and Julian White called up, with James Hamilton and Geordan Murphy in the Scotland and Ireland squads respectively.

 

World Cup star Dan Hipkiss joins his clubmates Richard Blaze, Ollie Smith, Tom Varndell and Jordan Crane are in the Saxons squad which will face Ireland A in Leicester a week on Friday.

All four of our current full England internationals are in the team for Saturday, as well as Saxon Ben Woods and late call-up to the A squad and former Tiger James Grindal.  Jamie Noon captains the team with Phil Dowson on the bench.

15 Mathew Tait
14 Tom May
13 Jamie Noon (captain)
12 Toby Flood
11 John Rudd
10 Jonny Wilkinson
9 James Grindal
1 Jon Golding
2 Andy Long
3 Carl Hayman
4 Andy Perry
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Brent Wilson
7 Ben Woods
8 Russell Winter

Replacements:
16 Matt Thompson
17 Micky Ward
18 Geoff Parling
19 Phil Dowson
20 Lee Dickson
21 Tim Visser
22 Ollie Phillips

 

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