Kick-off 3pm, Welford Road
As the Premiership campaign approaches the home straight, Michael Cheika is looking for home advantage to take Leicester into the play-offs.
Four of the Tigers‘ last six matches are at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, starting with Saracens today in a meeting of the 2022 and 2023 champions.
“I have coached at grounds all over the world and ours is fantastic,” said Cheika, whose side started the current round in third. “You have the people, the intensity of the support and the way the ground is set up. Fans are so close to you in the coaching box that I have been offered biscuits and tea.
“We have to make sure in those four matches that we get the fans into the game. The Premiership is close as a competition and there is a lot of heat from everywhere.
“You have to be on your game every time which makes it an exciting league. We cannot think any further ahead than Saracens. Look after what you can today and it will make tomorrow better.”
Leicester go into the match buoyed by their 33-0 victory over East Midlands rivals Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens which gave them a season’s double over the Saints while Sarries blew a 12-point led against Harlequins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, their third defeat in the last four in the league.
Saracens Challenge
“Saracens have a lot of quality,” said Cheika.
“I have a lot of respect for Mark McCall (director of rugby) who was at Ulster when I was at Leinster.
“We know they have threats and we have to provide some of our own and let the game play out between two teams with big aspirations when it comes to finals time.”
Four home wins should be enough to take Leicester into the playoffs in what will be Cheika’s first and last season in charge, but he will not be reaching for his calculator.
“If you start thinking about calculations and the number of points you need, you will lose sight of what you need to do to get them,” he said. “We have to remain focused and the level we play at will be how we train.
“Yes we will get up for games emotionally, but when you come under pressure you fall back to the way you train.
“It is great for fans when it comes to talking about how many points may be needed because it creates interest, but at the end it will be what it will be.”
Tommy Reffell
Wales flanker Tommy Reffell last week signed a new contract with Leicester and Cheika believes the best is still to come from the 25-year old who has won 27 caps.
“Tommy is an international level operator,” said Cheika.
“He has a heap of potential to go and needs to become a bit more of a ball player because we know what he can do on the ground. He wants to work on new skills and he is doing so.
“Jack van Poortvliet is another with huge potential to fulfil.
“I was impressed when he came back from injury that when he was picked by England A he really enjoyed it and did not reflect on why he had not been picked in the senior squad.
“He worked his way back and is showing real leadership qualities.”
Lock Ollie Chessum returns from injury for Leicester and he will be up against his England captain, Maro Itoje. England tighthead Joe Heyes is the only other change from the side that routed Northampton.
Saracens also make two changes. Teenage wing Angus Hall makes his first Premiership start for Saracens, with the 19-year-old replacing Rotimi Segun on the left wing and Fraser Balmain takes over from Marco Riccioni at tighthead. Ben Earl is on the bench.
READ MORE: Mark McCall is urging Saracens to show some fight
Teams
LEICESTER TIGERS: Steward; Radwan, Kata, Woodward, Hassell-Collins; Pollard, van Poortvliet; Smith, Montoya, Heyes, Henderson, Chessum, Liebenberg, Reffell, Cracknell Replacements: Clare, Whitcombe, Cole, Wells, Ilione, Youngs, Shillcock, Perese
SARACENS: Daly; Elliott, Lozowski, Tompkins, Hall; Burke, van Zyl; Mawi, George, Balmain, Itoje (c), Tizard, McFarland, Gonzalez, Willis Replacements: Dan, Carre, Riccioni, Isiekwe, Onyeama-Christie, Earl, Simpson, Goode
Referee: Luke Pearce
