Spencer and Bailey return for Bath as Cole and Wigglesworth named Tigers vice-captains

Steve Borthwick has named the Leicester Tigers matchday squad to play Bath Rugby on Friday (November 11) in Round 10 of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season. 

Hanro Liebenberg is captain in the club’s first league outing for four weeks, with Dan Cole and Richard Wigglesworth named vice-captains for the trip to The Recreation Ground. 

George Martin returns to action in his first Premiership match since the first week of October, alongside Liebenberg and Olly Cracknell - who makes his first start at No.8 - in the Leicester back-row.

Anthony Watson, who joined Leicester Tigers from Bath in the summer, is named for his first start at full-back in just his fourth appearance for the club.

Tom Cowan-Dickie, Sean Jansen and Sam Edwards are in line for their first Premiership appearances of the season after being included among the replacements. 

STARTING XV:
15 Anthony Watson [3]
14 Chris Ashton [17]
13 Harry Potter [46]
12 Matt Scott [51]
11 Nemani Nadolo [41]
10 Freddie Burns [108]
9 Richard Wigglesworth (vc) [39]
1 James Cronin [6]
2 Charlie Clare [58]
3 Dan Cole (vc) [296]
4 Harry Wells [162]
5 Calum Green [95]
6 George Martin [44]
7 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [65]
8 Olly Cracknell [6]

REPLACEMENTS:
16 Tom Cowan-Dickie [9]
17 Francois van Wyk [22]
18 Will Hurd [12]
19 Eli Snyman [23]
20 Sean Jansen [7]
21 Sam Edwards [7] **
22 Charlie Atkinson *
23 Phil Cokanasiga [5]

* Leicester Tigers senior debut
** Premiership Rugby debut

Bath Rugby

Club captain Ben Spencer has returned from injury to start for Bath Rugby against Leicester Tigers at The Rec on Friday night.

The scrum-half has been missing since September with a knee injury and will make his third appearance of the season. Also returning to action, Orlando Bailey is back at fly-half after a period out with a facial injury.

Niall Annett will make his first Bath start from hooker and there is a debut at full-back for former Worcester Warriors man Jamie Shillcock. Matt Gallagher switches to the wing with Will Butt completing the back three.

Jonathan Joseph is promoted from the bench to outside centre meaning Ollie Lawrence moves inside to 12.  

Bath Rugby: 15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Will Butt, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Ollie Lawrence, 11 Matt Gallagher, 10 Orlando Bailey, 9 Ben Spencer ©; 1 Valeriy Morozov, 2 Niall Annett, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 4 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Quinn Roux, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Miles Reid, 8 Richard de Carpentier. Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Arthur Cordwell, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Tom Ellis, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Max Green, 22 Cameron Redpath, 23 Wesley White