Leicester Tigers team for Aviva Premiership Rugby semi-final

Posted on May 11, 2012 in Leicester Tigers, Premiership

George Chuter will make his 200th starting appearance for Leicester Tigers in Saturday’s Aviva Premiership Rugby semi-final against Saracens at Welford Road (5.30pm).

England international hooker Chuter became the first player to reach 250 Premiership appearances in the win over Bath last Saturday which secured a home game in the semi-finals and reaches another personal landmark this weekend.

Ben Youngs, George Skivington and Graham Kitchener return to the Tigers squad after missing last Saturday’s Round 22 victory.

Tigers have reached the semi-final stages of the competition for an eighth successive year and face Saracens in a repeat of the last two Premiership Finals.

Tickets for Saturday’s game are available now from the Tigers ticket office. Call in at Welford Road or the Club Store in Market Street, Leicester, or phone the hotline on 0844 856 1880. Or book online at www.leicestertigers.com

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Saracens team to face Leicester Tigers

Posted on May 11, 2012 in Premiership, Saracens

All eyes are on Welford Road on Saturday as Saracens face Leicester Tigers in the semi-finals of the Aviva Premiership.

In team news ahead of the game, Charlie Hodgson returns to start at fly half with Owen Farrell named at centre for the knockout clash. Will Fraser returns to the starting line-up while Matt Stevens and Carlos Nieto swap places with the England prop starting and Nieto among the replacements.

Chris Wyles moves to the wing with James Short on the bench along with the likes of John Smit, Richard Wigglesworth and Hugh Vyvyan.

Justin Melck has been ruled out after suffering a knee injury in the final minute of the match against Exeter Chiefs last weekend. The flanker underwent surgery on a damaged ACL on Thursday and is set to be ruled out for up to nine months.

“It’s a massive match,” explained Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall. “We’ve had a very good week of preparation but we know it is going to be a very tough game and we will have to be at our best to get the result we want.

“Leicester have a phenomenal semi final record but we have had some excellent performances in recent weeks with wins against London Irish, Newcastle Falcons and Exeter Chiefs so we are really looking forward to the match.”

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Ben Youngs on Leicester Tigers v Saracens Aviva Premiership Semi-Final

Posted on May 10, 2012 in emb, Leicester Tigers, Premiership, Saracens

It is thought that Ben Youngs will be fit for next Saturday’s Aviva Premiership Rugby semi-final against Saracens.

Scrum-half Youngs missed the Tigers’ final home game of the regular season, a 28-3 win over Bath, with a hamstring injury.

But Leicester Tigers’ Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill thinks that Youngs and his Tigers and England team-mate Toby Flood will both be fit for the showdown with the team they have faced in the last two finals, winning the first and losing the second.

He said: "Ben could have played but we didn’t need to take that risk. Toby, I’m not sure of the extent of his injury, I think it’s an ankle. He could have carried on but there was no point in taking any risks."

Leicester stayed on course for an eighth successive Aviva Premiership Rugby final with a comfortable three-try win which clinched second place, while Saracens finished third after an even better win over Exeter.

The winners of the Leicester-Saracens showdown at Welford Road next Saturday will meet the winners of the other semi-final between Harlequins and Northampton in the final at Twickenham.

In this video Ben Youngs gives his thoughts on the Saracens team and the play offs in general.

Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards: Robshaw wins player of the season

Posted on May 8, 2012 in emb, English Rugby, Premiership

Harlequins back row forward Chris Robshaw was named Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Season at the Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards at the London Hilton, Park Lane this evening (Tuesday 8 May 2012).

Robshaw made his Harlequins debut in January 2006, leading them to the top spot in the Aviva Premiership Rugby league table at the end of the 2011-12 season.

Redhill-born Robshaw captained Millfield before moving to Harlequins. He was educated at Cumnor House School, Surrey, becoming the captain of Harlequins last season.

“This award is richly deserved,” said Harlequins Director of Rugby Conor O’Shea. “What I like about him is that no matter which accolades come his way or what he achieves we all know what comes first with Chris is the team.

“Chris is the sort of guy who’ll never get above himself. For him it is all about the team. He wants nothing more than for the team to be successful.”

This season Robshaw has had a stellar campaign not only leading his club but taking over the England captaincy after the World Cup, leading his side to four victories in five matches during the 2012 RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Three of the victories were away from Twickenham and the fourth was the 30-9 win over Ireland at HQ.

Despite leading his country this season, Robshaw has still played an impressive 16 Aviva Premiership Rugby matches for Harlequins. Last season he was ever-present, playing in all 22 Aviva Premiership Rugby fixtures.

The Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Season award isn’t Robshaw’s only accolade from the Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards as he was selected by former England internationals Austin Healey and Ben Kay as captain of the ESPN Dream Team.  Robshaw was joined by Harlequins’ team-mates Mike Brown, George Lowe, Joe Marler, and Nick Easter.

ESPN analysts Healey and Kay picked five Leicester Tigers in their side, two from Northampton Saints, to add to the five Quins, alongside one player from Saracens and two from Exeter Chiefs.

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Aviva Premiership semi-finals confirmed

Posted on May 8, 2012 in Premiership

The Aviva Premiership Rugby semi-finals 2011-12 have been confirmed, both on Saturday 12 May:

Semi-Final 1:

Harlequins v Northampton Saints – 2.45pm at the Twickenham Stoop – Live on Sky Sports

Semi-Final 2:

Leicester Tigers v Saracens – 5.30pm at Welford Road – Live on ESPN