Wasps v Leicester: Teams

Reigning Aviva Premiership champions Leicester welcome Tom Croft back into the starting line-up for their trip to Wasps on Saturday.

Croft missed the first game of the new season through injury and came off the bench against Exeter last weekend but will retake his place in the back row at Adams Park.

Italy prop Martin Castrogiovanni and Argentina front-rower Marcos Ayerza are also back in the Tigers starting line-up.

It is all change at centre as Matt Smith and Billy Twelvetrees are paired together following injuries to Dan Hipkiss and Anthony Allen, while on-loan Ed Slater comes in at lock after two appearances as a replacement.

Leicester were pushed all the way by the newly-promoted Chiefs last time out but director of rugby Richard Cockerill is confident of an improved performance against Wasps.

"I would never question the resilience of the boys," Cockerill said.

Errors

"We made some errors in attack and some poor decisions in defence against Exeter, but in the end we came through with the bonus win.

"We've been doing some very good things and, if we can tidy up a few bits and improve our accuracy, we are only going to get better."

Summer signings Rob Hawkins, Horacio Agulla and Steve Mafi are named on the bench while Richard Blaze, Louis Deacon, Geoff Parling, Jordan Crane, and Toby Flood are still absent with injury.

Meanwhile, Wasps will be boosted by the return of Dominic Waldouck from a hand laceration as he is brought back into the centres in one of four changes for the hosts.

Samoa international David Lemi, prop Ben Broster and England star Joe Worsley are also welcomed back into the starting line-up.

Waldouck will replace Ben Jacobs, who is unavailable due to a hamstring problem while Lemi is rewarded for some strong replacement appearances with a start on the left wing. Tom Varndell moves out wide to the right.

Zak Taulafo picked up a moderate ankle sprain in Wasps' defeat to Newcastle last Friday, leaving the spot clear for Broster while Worsley starts at the expense of Dan Ward-Smith.

Joe Ward, Tom French and Richard Birkett all come into the squad as replacements.

Wasps have won just one of their last five Premiership matches but boast an impressive record against Leicester, with their last home defeat to the Tigers coming three years ago.

Wasps: 15 Mark Van Gisbergen, 14 Tom Varndell, 13 Dominic Waldouck, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 David Lemi, 10 Dave Walder, 9 Nic Berry, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Tom Rees (capt), 6 Joe Worsley, 5 James Cannon, 4 Simon Shaw, 3 Ben Broster, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Tim Payne.
Replacements: 16 Joe Ward, 17 Charlie Beech, 18 Tom French, 19 Richard Birkett, 20 Dan Ward-Smith, 21 Charlie Davies, 22 Steve Kefu, 23 Richard Haughton.

Leicester: 15 Geordan Murphy (capt), 14 Scott Hamilton, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Jeremy Staunton, 9 Ben Youngs, 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 Rob Hawkins, 17 Dan Cole, 18 Boris Stankovich, 19 Steve Mafi, 20 Craig Newby, 21 James Grindal, 22 Manu Tuilagi, 23 Horacio Agulla.