Leicester Tigers team news for Friday night at Sixways

Back-rower Croft returns after recovery from a neck injury suffered last season and joins fit-again Steve Mafi and Thomas Waldrom in the Tigers back row for the opening Aviva Premiership fixture of the new year at Sixways. Rob Hawkins is joined by Logovi'i Mulipola and Martin Castrogiovanni in the front row.

Mathew Tait returns at full-back, and there are starting places for Scott Hamilton, Matt Smith and Dan Bowden in the backline, with Toby Flood and Ben Youngs at half-back.

Warriors expect to welcome their biggest crowd of the season so far for Friday's fixture as they defend an unbeaten home record stretching back to September.

Leicester Tigers (v Worcester Warriors, Sixways, Friday 8pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Scott Hamilton
13 Matt Smith
12 Dan Bowden
11 Adam Thompstone
10 Toby Flood
9 Ben Youngs

1 Logovi'i Mulipola
2 Rob Hawkins
3 Martin Castrogiovanni
4 Louis Deacon (c)
5 Ed Slater
6 Tom Croft
7 Steve Mafi
8 Thomas Waldrom

Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Marcos Ayerza
18 Dan Cole
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Julian Salvi
21 Micky Young
22 Anthony Allen
23 Niall Morris