Premiership
Quartet added to Tigers 23/24 squad
Leicester Tigers Head Coach Dan McKellar has confirmed four additions to the Senior Squad ahead of the 23/24 season.
Included within the quartet of signings is a returning Tiger, who made more than 80 appearances for Leicester in four seasons at the club, and an international scrum-half who previously worked with McKellar down under.
The four additions are:
- Joe Powell (scrum-half)
- Matt Rogerson (back-row)
- Kieran Wilkinson (fly-half)
- Mike Williams (lock / back-row)
JOE POWELL
The 29-year-old makes the move to the East Midlands after a season with London Irish, who he joined after eight years of Super Rugby.
Born in Canberra, the scrum-half made his senior rugby debut for the Canberra Vikings in Australia’s National Rugby Championship before stepping up to professional rugby with his Super Rugby debut in 2015 for the Brumbies, where he played for Leicester Tigers Head Coach Dan McKellar.
After previously representing Australia at Under-20 age-grade level, Powell’s senior Test debut came in 2017 against Fiji.
Powell started in the Brumbies 2020 Super Rugby AU Final victory over The Queensland Reds ahead of moving to the Melbourne Rebels for two seasons before joining the Gallagher Premiership with The Exiles in 2022.
Speaking about the signing, Leicester Tigers Head Coach Dan McKellar said: “Joe is an experienced scrum-half who has played at the highest level in the game and I am really excited about having him join us at Leicester Tigers.”
“I have spoken openly about the type of players we want at Tigers, the type of character I want in the group and a young man of Joe’s qualities on and off the pitch fit well and truly within that.”
“It’s no secret we are likely to be without Jack [van Poortvliet] and Ben [Youngs] during the World Cup, so certainly in need of depth at scrum-half and I am pleased we have been able to add that with the quality of Joe.”
MATT ROGERSON
The back-rower makes the move to Tigers from London Irish, who he made more than 100 appearances for during five seasons – including the final two as club captain.
Born in Lancaster, he played his youth rugby with Vale of Lune before attending Loughborough University, where he represented Loughborough Students.
Rogerson made his professional debut for Sale Sharks and spent two seasons in the North West of England before a lone campaign in The Championship with Jersey Reds for the 2017/18 campaign ahead of joining The Exiles.
Speaking about the signing, Leicester Tigers Head Coach Dan McKellar said: “It is great to be welcoming a player of Matt’s experience and character to Leicester Tigers.”
“He is a tried and tested player in the Premiership and adds important depth and competition to our back row ranks.”
“You don’t play a century of games in this league without a certain level of toughness and commitment, as well as plenty of talent, and Matt has shown that over a number of years now.”
“His class and character has shone through in recent time, when captain of London Irish, to lead his playing group through such a tumultuous period and it is that type of person we want representing Leicester Tigers.”
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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
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