Manu Tuilagi returns as Leicester Tigers bid to keep 14-year Premiership semi-final run alive against Newcastle Falcons

Manu Tuilagi will make his latest return from injury this Friday in Leicester Tigers’ must-win Premiership encounter with Newcastle Falcons, with the centre looking to make one last push to earn himself a place in the England squad for this summer’s tour of South Africa.

The 26-year-old, who celebrated the birth of his first child on Wednesday, has missed the last month after injuring his pectoral muscle, with the chest injury likely to end his chances of returning to the England squad for the end-of-season tour against the Springboks.

Having not featured for England since the 2016 Six Nations and not making a start for the national side in nearly five years, Tuilagi’s absence has seen the Red Rose robbed of one of its most impactful players, but the Samoan-born centre will have this Friday’s clash at Welford Road and next weekend’s Premiership final-round fixture against Sale Sharks to try and persuade Eddie Jones to pick him for June’s tour.

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Tuilagi could yet have two further matches to stake his claim, with the Tigers pushing for a place in the Premiership semi-finals for the 19th consecutive year. However, defeat against Newcastle, who sit two points above them in fourth place, would leave them facing the prospect of missing out on the top four for the first time since 2004, and Wasps could confirm that on Sunday if they avoid defeat against Northampton Saints.

Should Leicester beat Newcastle, they will be on course for fourth place and likely face a trip to Exeter Chiefs in the semi-finals, while toppling Wasps to clinch third is set to see Matt O’Connor’s side head to Allianz Park to take on Saracens.

“We’ve had a number of players coming back from injury over the last few weeks and they have been training and preparing fully,” O’Connor said after recalling Tuilagi for the first time since the 16-15 win over Wasps on 25 March. “It is good timing because the intensity of these last two rounds will require a real squad effort.

“This is a huge game and thankfully we’re at home and will have the fans at Welford Road to give us a bit of an edge. We now have to put in a performance worthy of getting the points we need.”

There is further good news for Leicester as Ben Youngs returns for his first start since injuring his knee during England’s Six Nations victory over Italy on 4 February, with the British and Irish Lion making his comeback two weeks ago after coming off the replacements’ bench in the 27-21 derby defeat by East Midlands rivals Northampton.

The pair are joined in the side by England teammates Dan Cole, George Ford, Jonny May and Ellis Genge, who will make his 50th appearance for Leicester, while both Brendon O’Connor and Mike Williams also return from injury.

Newcastle are looking to win at Welford Road for the first time since December 1997, which coincidentally was Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards’ last appearance for Leicester, and he recalls former Tigers wing Vereniki Goneva in one of four changes to the side that suffered defeat in last weekend’s European Challenge Cup semi-final against Gloucester.

Mark Wilson returns from two-month injury absence to captain the side, with Ally Hogg also starting in the back-row at No 8 in place of Ryan Burrows who drops to the replacements, while the other change sees Sinoti Sinoti return to the left wing.

They’ve got a full international front row and a tasty back line, but we’ve got a good pack ourselves and a load of talent in the backs,” Richards said. “It’s nicely poised when you look at the whole contest, and it should be an interesting game. I wouldn’t be going down there if I didn’t have the confidence that we could win, and it’s a massive opportunity for us.”

The former England international added: “Not many people probably gave Northampton a hope of winning there a fortnight ago, and there’s every chance we can do the same. It’s by no means a given but the opportunity is there, and we’re going down there with a really positive mind-set in terms of taking the game to them.

“Leicester will be smarting from that Northampton defeat and we know they’ll come out like a train in the first few minutes, and we totally understand that. It’s not a problem, and we’ve played against them enough times to know what they are about.”