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Freddie Burns handed first start back at Leicester but not at No10

(Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)

Freddie Burns is set to make his first Gallagher Premiership start in his second coming at Leicester, but not in his familiar out-half position as he has been chosen by Steve Borthwick to wear the No15 shirt versus Saracens at Mattioli Woods Welford Road this Saturday. 

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It will be Burns’ first time to start at full-back since a November 2019 spell at Bath where he started at No15 for three successive games versus Wasps, Northampton and Ulster. Now back at Leicester following his year in Japan, Burns was given just a few minutes off the bench in the opening round win over Exeter but he is now primed for much greater involvement. 

It was January 2017 against Wasps when he last started at full-back for Leicester in the last season of his initial three-year stint at the club, but he has now got the nod from Borthwick to occupy that role with Freddie Steward held in reserve this week. 

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    Steward was one of five Leicester players who attended the recent England mini-training camp and Ben Youngs, who finished up early at that session in London due to the minor thigh injury sustained in the round two league win at Gloucester, has been passed fit to start at scrum-half. His half-back partner will be George Ford, the headline England squad omission, who will go head to head against Owen Farrell, the England captain and Saracens No10.  

    Regarding Leicester’s other England training squad picks, George Martin will start at blindside, club skipper Ellis Genge and the aforementioned Steward make the bench but there is no spot in the matchday 23 for Joe Heyes. Elsewhere, Tonga international Hosea Saumaki will make his Premiership debut on the wing.

    Meanwhile, the inclusion of Farrell to start is one of three changes to the Saracens XV following their win at Bristol in round one. Lions tourist Jamie George and Max Malins, who was injured on England summer series duty, are included at hooker and full-back respectively. 

    LEICESTER: 15. Freddie Burns; 14. Kobus van Wyk, 13. Guy Porter, 12. Dan Kelly, 11. Hosea Saumaki; 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs; 1. Francois van Wyk, 2. Nic Dolly, 3. Dan Cole, 4. Calum Green, 5. Ollie Chessum, 6. George Martin, 7. Tommy Reffell, 8. Hanro Liebenberg (capt). Reps: 16. Tom Cowan-Dickie, 17. Ellis Genge, 18. Nephi Leatigaga, 19. Harry Wells, 20. Cameron Henderson, 21. Jack van Poortvliet, 22. Juan Pablo Socino, 23. Freddie Steward.

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    SARACENS: 15. Max Malins; 14. Alex Lewington, 13. Alex Lozowski, 12. Nick Tompkins, 11. Rotimi Segun, 10. Owen Farrell (capt), 9. Aled Davies; 1. Ralph Adams-Hale, 2. Jamie George, 3. Marco Riccioni, 4. Nick Isiekwe, 5. Tim Swinson, 6. Jackson Wray, 7. Ben Earl, 8. Billy Vunipola. Reps: 16. Tom Woolstencroft, 17. Eroni Mawi, 18. Alec Clarey, 19. Callum Hunter-Hill, 20. Andy Christie, 21. Joe Simpson, 22. Alex Goode, 23. Dom Morris.

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    JW 2 hours ago
    'I feel for the players': Jamie Joseph's reflection on falling short again

    Some great leadership quality from Big Jim, he facilitated for large parts then put the responsibility on himself at the end drive the team forward in the last desperate minutes. He also filled in for Withy extremely well, adding real strength to the maul.


    The Force have been playing very well this year indeed, and their stars did make a couple of key players, the main factor though is definitely what I reported in the previous article “

    Gotta say I’m really enjoying the Highlanders desperation in the last 10 minutes of games, maybe it’s just because theyre having to throw the kitchen sink at it again. Another massive effort to hold the opposition out just like in the Blues game. I’m sure the coach’s will be wanting a little more composure though as the play seems to far more hap hazard (really just the type of footy I like watching) than the picture they bring at the beggining of games.

    Again though they don’t have the refs to thank for anything, being down a man twenty more minutes than they should have been. Most importantly they were without one of they best attackers (not counting Tangitau’s early change) for the final push, with Nareki’s bin.

    Again, I can see where this team is trying to go, I hope they can get their this year as they certainly have the game to be a top four team if they click. They are munch of misfits when you look at it objectively though, they probably have the worst cohesion score of any SRP team. A few more wins, maybe a come from behind upset may be the best theey can hope to acheive this year.

    “. Like Jim I thought the defence stood up strongly for large parts, but they may just have some structural issues, where it’s just not paying off. They had Lawaqa on the wing all day, allowed the Force to make a dozen linebreaks, why? Both there attack and defence look a bit too fancy for me, why? Common Joseph, the youngest team with the least cohesion/most new guys, it look overly complicated.


    I hope it clicks. Manson in particular looked to be trying far too hard when he came on, what’s been said in his ear? Stick to you lane son and don’t make any mistakes, don’t lose the game for your team. Should be a comfortable win next week against Drua if they keep there heads up and come back stronger. Lasaqa might be best to come off the bench, would keep Jim at 12 but I’d like Tele’a to come back to the side, though TUJ hasn’t been bad and style might suit Drua more. Hopefully Renton or someone with some size is at 8 or 6, Lasaqa appears to be more an 8 actually, similar to Sititi and I wouldn’t mind if he was groomed behind him and Sotutu. Lennox I thought could make a good halfback but isn’t ready, I’d hope Arscott, Fakatava, or Pledger could return to the side. Other than Drua theyve got Cheifs twice, though the home game is the last of the round/season so potentially a gimme if the Chiefs repeat previous years tactics. The Crusaders and Moana at home are also very doable. Those four wins could see them crash into the top 6 still.

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