🔗 Share this article

The Tigers freshly appointed club captain Ollie Chessum has been given the green light to make his return to Premiership rugby facing the Quins on Saturday. While the majority of British & Irish Lions squad members cannot resume to club play until next week, the Leicester player has secured an exception.

Chessum, who was injured for a significant portion of the previous campaign, ended up starting 16 games and featured from the replacements on four occasions. Even though being involved in all three Lions Tests facing the Australian side, the player management load group supervising the well-being of top players has authorized him to compete against Harlequins at their home ground in the next fixture.

Divergent Circumstances for Lions Teammates

Harlequins, by comparison, will be missing Chessum’s fellow Lion Marcus Smith, who has to delay an additional week prior to his return. In contrast to Owen Farrell, who was also sidelined for much of last season and made his comeback for Saracens’ opening Prem game, Smith was involved in a heavy schedule last season, including additional tour matches and is required to have a required downtime.

Drive from Historic Setback

Chessum, however, is keen to begin and prove that the Tigers can succeed in the new campaign despite the departure of Michael Cheika and a number of senior players. The Tigers reached the league final at the end of last season, but Chessum reveals their crushing 80-12 continental competition setback by Toulouse is the match that has given their primary inspiration. “We felt strongly of ‘We are never going to that place again’. No matter how we get ready, no matter how we are instructed, regardless of strategy, we are never going back.”

“That was the biggest setback in the team's record and to admit involvement is humiliating truly. So, it hurts. You will always look back and just guarantee you steer clear of a result like that again.”

He continued, “I recall Cheik was emotional in the changing room. The reason we were in the title decider last year was due to what happened after that fixture in Toulouse. There was a significant shift in all of us.”

Fitness News from Rival Teams

Bristol, at the same time, have announced they have are missing starting fly-half AJ McGinty for an extended period after he suffered a setback in their season opener over Leicester. McGinty has had surgery on his heel on the very day that his scrum-half Harry Randall needed surgery on his hamstring. Randall will be back in the new year, while the comeback for outside back Gabriel Itoye, who likewise hurt his thigh versus the Tigers and must undergo a procedure, is still to be confirmed.

Bath, on their side, have stuck with Max Ojomoh at stand-off for their fixture at home against Sale on Friday night. Sale, who recorded a winning start to the term in the first round, have made several necessary alterations to their first team, with Hyron Andrews and Sam Bedlow taking over from the unavailable the absent duo correspondingly.