Tigers out to salvage some pride
Leicester Tigers will be looking to restore some pride after their one-sided defeat to Ulster and one eye on hopes of a place in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarterfinals.
The double champions, who lifted European rugby’s biggest prize in 2001 and 2002, cannot qualify for the knock-out stages of this season’s Heineken Cup but have slim chances of prolonging their euro campaign.
The Tigers, along with Pool Four leaders Ulster and Clermont Auvergne, can still qualify for the knockout stages of the Amlin Challenge Cup if other results all go their way this weekend.
The Premiership outfit, who suffered their heaviest defeat in the tournament when they lost 41-7 to Ulster in Belfast last weekend, still have their own European ranking points for next season to play for.
Aironi, who are in only their second season of Heineken Cup rugby and have managed only one victory during that time, are looking for their first win and points in the pool.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Geordan Murphy (captain), 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Billy Twelvetrees, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Jeremy Staunton, 9 Micky Young, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Ben Woods, 6 Tom Croft, 5 George Skivington, 4 Ed Slater, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 George Chuter, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Jimmy Stevens, 17 Boris Stankovich, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Graham Kitchener, 20 Steve Mafi, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 George Ford, 23 Scott Hamilton.
Aironi: 15 Alberto Benettin, 14 Giiulio Toniolatti, 13 Roberto Quartaroli, 12 Gabriel Pizarro, 11 Giovanbattista Venditti, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Josh Sole, 7 Simone Favaro, 6 Mauro Bergamasco, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Fabio Staibano, 2 Roberto Santamaria, 1 Alberto de Marchi.
Replacements: 16 Tommaso D’Apice , 17 Salvatore Perugini, 18 Lorenzo Romano, 19 Carlo del Fava, 20 Filippo Ferrarini, 21 Giorgio Bronzini, 22 Gilberto Pavan, 23 Matteo Pratichetti.
Date: Saturday, January 21
Venue: Welford Road, Leicester
Kick-off: 15.40 GMT
Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)
