Former Wasps and Harlequins winger Josh Bassett will make his Leicester Tigers debut tomorrow evening, as his new side host RFU Championship side Nottingham for a pre-season friendly. Bassett had a turbulent 2022/23 season, following the financial collapse of his previous club Wasps.
After becoming a free agent, Bassett was picked up by Premiership entertainers Harlequins for the remainder of the season. The winger turned his season around with 16 appearances across the Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup, and scored seven tries in the process.
Bassett then moved on to Welford Road, with a key vacancy opening up along the wing following the retirement of Chris Ashton. The 31-year-old is amongst a group of six new faces, that are set to make their debuts at Welford Road tomorrow evening. Starting alongside Bassett is the ex-London Irish duo of Joe Powell and Matt Rogerson. Australian lock Sam Carter also joins the debutant fray, with former Exeter Chiefs lock Mike Williams and young gun fly half Kieran Wilkinson on the bench.
This will also be newly appointed Head Coach Dan McKellar’s first time out in charge of the Tigers. McKellar has named an extended squad of 30 players, as he looks to identify his best team outside of the regular starters who are away on Rugby World Cup duty.
The Archers face a tough test against Leicester, as international talents Mike Brown, Joe Heyes, James Cronin, Cameron Henderson and Dan Kelly have also been named in the match day squad. Hanro Liebenberg will lead the side out against Nottingham, and interestingly, three of Nottingham’s players will feature on the Tigers bench.
Winger Marcus Ramage, Loughborough University’s Elliot Gourlay and Senior Academy outside-back Charlie Myall all get the call up, after they were included in the pre-season programme over the summer.