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Leicester face Treviso at Welford Road in the Champions Cup on Saturday: 19:45 kick-off
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Centre Manu Tuilagi makes his first Tigers start in 15 months
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Treviso make six changes including the return of Francesco Minto
Centre Manu Tuilagi continues his much-anticipated return from a groin injury as he makes his first start in 15 months against Benetton-Treviso in the European Champions Cup.
The 24-year-old, who came on in Saturday’s win over Northampton, is named in the Tigers starting XV for his first game in 15 months after recovering from a long-term groin injury
Freddie Burns, who slotted a crucial last minute kick last weekend is at fly-half after Owen Williams broke his jaw against Saints while prop Logovi’i Mulipola, fullback Tommy Bell and wing Vereniki Goneva also come into the team.
Meanwhile, former Tiger Robert Barbieri starts at number eight for Treviso after returning to the Italian club last summer following a single season at Welford Road.
Treviso in total makes six changes including the return of Francesco Minto as he replaces captain Alessandro Zanni at openside flanker.
The Italians are the only team in the tournament yet to gain a point from four pool matches.
Leicester are four points clear of Stade Francais at the top of Pool Four and will hope for a repeat of the bonus-point win they took from Stadio Monigo in an entertaining clash back in November.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Leicester: Adam Thompstone
Treviso: James Ambrosini
Leicester: 15 Tommy Bell, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Mathew Tait, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Tom Croft, 6 Mike Fitzgerald, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Dom Barrow, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 1 Logovi’i Mulipola
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Marcos Ayerza , 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Laurence Pearce, 21 Jono Kitto, 22 Seremaia Bai, 23 Peter Betham
Treviso: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Andrea Pratichetti, 13 Samuel Christie, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Simone Ragusi, 10 James Ambrosini, 9 Alberto Lucchese, 8 Robert Barbieri, 7 Francesco Minto, 6 Marco Lazzaroni, 5 Jean-François Montauriol, 4 Filo Paulo, 3 Salesi Manu, 2 Ornel Gega, 1 Alberto de Marchi
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Cherif Traore, 18 Filippo Filippetto, 19 Marco Fuser, 20 Alessandro Zanni, 21 Abraham Jurgens Steyn, 22 Enrico Bacchin, 23 Luke McLean
Date: Saturday, January 16
Venue: Welford Road
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Sean Brickell (Wales), Gwyn Morris (Wales)
TMO: Derek Bevan (Wales)