The Leicester Tigers have formally announced their initial team selection for the 2025/26 season’s opening fixture, with four athletes anticipated to debut in Saturday’s Premiership Rugby Cup match against Saracens at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Orlando Bailey, Jamie Blamire, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, and James Thompson are each scheduled to begin for the team for the very first time, while Joaquin Moro, Harry Palmer, and Charlie Titcombe might debut as substitutes.
Team leader Hanro Liebenberg guides the squad from the blindside flanker position.
Swedish international Ale Loman, temporarily joining from Nottingham Rugby, is also among the substitutes after initially representing Leicester last season.
The lineup also includes six athletes prepared for their initial game appearances of the year following their absence from last weekend’s pre-season triumph over Nottingham: Will Hurd, Tom Manz, Thompson, Adam Radwan, Tom Whiteley, and Finn Theobald-Thomas.
Leicester Tigers team:
15. Ollie Hassell-Collins
14. Adam Radwan
13. Izaia Perese
12. Joseph Woodward
11. Gabriel Hamer-Webb
10. Orlando Bailey
9. Tom Whiteley
1. Archie van der Flier
2. Jamie Blamire
3. Will Hurd
4. Tom Manz
5. James Thompson
6. Hanro Liebenberg (c)
7. Emeka Ilione
8. Olly Cracknell
Replacements
16. Finn Theobald-Thomas
17. Tubuna Maka
18. Ale Loman
19. Harry Palmer
20. Joaquin Moro
21. Ollie Allan
22. Charlie Titcombe
23. Will Wand
