Fit-again Croft returns for Leicester

Tom Croft recovered from the serious neck injury he suffered back in April and will make his first Leicester appearance of the season as the Tigers travel to Worcester tonight.
The England flanker was taken off on a stretcher in a neck brace in his side’s victory over Harlequins on 21 April last year and missed England’s tour of South Africa and the Autumn international programme as well as the Premiership final.
Croft starts at blindside while Mathew Tait, Scott Hamilton, Matt Smith, Dan Bowden and Toby Flood all return in the Tigers’ back division at full-back, wing, centres and fly-half respectively.
Wing Josh Drauniniu makes his first Worcester’s league start since November with Jonny Arr replacing the injured Paul Hodgson at scrum-half.
Centre Jon Clarke is also named in the back division, while there are three changes in the Warriors pack as Dean Schofield, Aleki Lutui, Sam Betty come in at lock, hooker and flanker.
Worcester: Pennell; Drauniniu, Grove, Clarke, Lemi; Goode, Arr; Ceri Jones, Lutui, Murray; Percival, Schofield; Betty, Kvesic, Taulava.
Replacements: Shervington, Mullan, Andress, Chris Jones, Best, Frost, Gray, Matavesi.
Leicester: Tait; Hamilton, Smith, Bowden, Thompstone; Flood, Youngs; Mulipola, Hawkins, Castrogiovanni; Deacon (capt.), Slater; Croft, Mafi, Waldrom.
Replacements: Chuter, Ayerza, Cole, Kitchener, Salvi, Young, Allen, Morris.
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