George Ford back for Leicester Tigers Challenge Cup clash

Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick has welcomed back the trio of George Ford, Tommy Reffell and Jaco Taute for Sunday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final against Castres.

Ford, Reffell and Taute missed the Premiership win over Northampton Saints last weekend, but come into the line-up with Ellis Genge after derby day delight.

An England pairing of Ford and Ben Youngs slot in to the half-backs, as the midfield sees Taute start outside of centre partner Matt Scott.

Emerging Welshman Reffell returns to match fitness after a knee issue kept him out of Tigers’ past four matches.

The quarter-final marks Leicester’s first European knockout game in four years; the last coming in the Champions Cup semi-final at home to Racing 92 who narrowly progressed to the final with a 19-16 win.

The Top 14 visitors to Welford Road this time around have tasted defeat and victory in the start to their league campaign, unable to maintain their 100% record by losing 22-16 to Stade Francais last Sunday.

Castres are led by scrum-half Rory Kockott who starts alongside Benjamin Urdapilleta in the half-backs.

Florian Vialelle and Thomas Combezou form the midfield while Filipo Nakosi, Geoffrey Palis and Julien Dumora complete the backline as a dangerous back three.

Up front Antoine Tichit is joined in the front-row by Matthew Tierney and Gaetan Barlot while Canada international Tyler Ardron starts at number eight.

---

Leicester Tigers v Castres (Sunday, 3pm kick-off)

Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Kini Murimurivalu, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Tom Youngs (capt), 3 Dan Cole, 4 Tomas Lavanini, 5 Calum Green, 6 Harry Wells, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Hanro Liebenberg

Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Facundo Gigena, 18 Nephi Leatigaga, 19 Jordan Taufua, 20 Luke Wallace, 21 Ben White, 22 Zack Henry, 23 Harry Potter

Castres: 15 Julien Dumora, 14 Geoffrey Palis, 13 Thomas Combezou, 12 Florian Vialelle, 11 Filipo Nakosi, 10 Benjamin Urdapilleta, 9 Rory Kockott (capt); 1 Antoine Tichit, 2 Gaetan Barlot, 3 Matthew Tierney, 4 Ryno Pieterse, 5 Hans N’Kinsi, 6 Baptiste Delaporte, 7 Kevin Kornath, 8 Tyler Ardron

Replacements: 16 Pierre Colonna, 17 Julius Nostadt, 18 Wilfrid Hounkpatin, 19 Dorian Clerc, 20 Mathieu Babillot, 21 Maama Vaipulu, 22 Bastien Guillemin, 23 Vilimoni Botitu

Bristol Bears v Dragons (Friday, 7.45pm kick-off)

Bristol: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Semi Radradra, 12 Piers O’Conor, 11 Henry Purdy, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Andy Uren; 1 Jake Woolmore, 2 Harry Thacker, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 4 Dave Attwood, 5 Chris Vui, 6 Steven Luatua (capt), 7 Ben Earl, 8 Nathan Hughes

Replacements: 16 Will Capon, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 John Afoa, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Dan Thomas, 21 Harry Randall, 22 Max Malins, 23 Alapati Leiua

Dragons: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 Jonah Holmes, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Ashton Hewitt, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Rhodri Williams (capt); 1 Brok Harris, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 Leon Brown, 4 Joe Davies, 5 Matthew Screech, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Harrison Keddie, 8 Ross Moriarty,

Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Josh Reynolds, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Joe Maksymiw, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Josh Lewis, 23 Adam Warren

Bordeaux-Begles v Edinburgh (Saturday, 1.30pm kick-off)

Bordeaux-Bègles: 15 Nans Ducuing, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Jean-Baptiste Dubié, 12 Ulupano Seuteni, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Yann Lesgourgues; 1 Jefferson Poirot (capt), 2 Clement Maynadier, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 4 Kane Douglas, 5 Jandré Marais, 6 Mahamadou Diaby, 7 Guido Petti, 8 Marco Tauleigne

Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Lekso Kaulashvili, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Cyril Cazeaux, 20 Cameron Woki, 21 Maxime Lucu, 22 Ben Botica, 23 Pablo Uberti

Edinburgh: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 James Johnstone, 12 George Taylor, 11 Damien Hoyland, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Charlie Shiel; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Stuart McInally (capt), 3 Simon Berghan, 4 Ben Toolis, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 Hamish Watson, 8 Viliame Mata

Replacements: 16 Mike Willemse, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Andrew Davidson, 20 Magnus Bradbury, 21 Nick Haining, 22 Dan Nutton, 23 Chris Dean

Toulon v Scarlets (Saturday, 9.15pm kick-off)

Toulon: 15 Daniel Ikpefan, 14 Masivesi Dakuwaqa, 13 Bryce Heem, 12 Duncan Paia’aua, 11 Gabin Villière, 10 Baptiste Serin, 9 Tane Takulua; 1 Jean Baptiste-Gros, 2 Anthony Etrillard (capt), 3 Beka Gigashvili, 4 Swan Rebbadj, 5 Romain Taofifenua, 6 Charles Ollivon, 7 Raphael Lakafia, 8 Sergio Parisse

Replacements: 16 Bastien Soury, 17 Florian Fresia, 18 Emerick Setiano, 19 Erwan Dridi, 20 Brian Alainu’uese, 21 Julien Ory, 22 Louis Carbonel, 23 Facundo Isa

Scarlets: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Steff Hughes, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens (capt), 3 Samson Lee, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Sam Lousi, 6 Blade Thomson, 7 Josh Macleod, 8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Phil Price, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 Lewis Rawlins, 20 James Davies, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Angus O’Brien, 23 Tyler Morgan