Youngs and Cole set for farewells; Brown left out of Leicester 23

The soon-to-be-retired duo, Ben Youngs and Dan Cole, have both been named on the bench for Leicester’s Premiership playoff against Sale Sharks on Saturday, while Julian Montoya will lead the Tigers out for one last time ahead of his summer move to Pau.

Having recovered from the knock he picked up in last week’s win over Newcastle, Jack van Poortvliet takes the number jersey from Youngs, who drops to the bench. The same applies at tight-head with Jack Heyes getting a start over Cole.

The third change to the starting XV is on the right wing, where Josh Bassett makes way for Adam Radwan. Ollie Chessum, meanwhile, has proved his fitness to be present in the second row.

The only alteration to the bench sees Izaia Perese replace Mike Brown, for whom the game against Newcastle could have been the last of his professional career, as England’s most-capped full-back has decided to join Youngs and Cole in retiring from the game.

LEICESTER v Sale Sharks

15 Freddie Steward [109]
14 Adam Radwan [9]
13 Solomone Kata [42]
12 Joseph Woodward [31]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [46]
10 Handré Pollard [52]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [94]
1 Nicky Smith [22]
2 Julián Montoya (c) [76]
3 Joe Heyes [161]
4 Cameron Henderson [63]
5 Ollie Chessum [66]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [130]
7 Tommy Reffell [136]
8 Olly Cracknell [64]

Replacements

16 Charlie Clare [122]
17 James Cronin [48]
18 Dan Cole [341]
19 Matt Rogerson [26]
20 Emeka Ilione [46]
21 Ben Youngs [335]
22 Ben Volavola [9]
23 Izaia Perese [13]

*Leicester appearances in brackets