EALING Trailfinders finished top of Pool D following a clean sweep of victories at home to Northampton and Doncaster and away at Bristol and Cambridge and director of rugby Ben Ward says there is a real buzz at the club for their battle with Leicester.
This is the first season Championship clubs have been entered into the Premiership Cup, and Ward, whose side were denied promotion to the top flight in 2022 due to failing to meet the RFU's minimum standards criteria, said: “There's a buzz around the club this week; we want to test ourselves against the biggest clubs in England. They've got some guys away with the Six Nations but I'm expecting a strong Leicester team to be coming to us this weekend.
“They will want to get to the final as well, and in every competition Leicester are in, they'll be expected to win. We don't fear anything. We've already created some history by getting through to the semi-finals and we want to create some more by getting through to a final.”
Ealing are without powerhouse back row Simon Uzoke, who is sideliend with a ligament injury. Rob Farrar, Jordy Reid and Rayn Smid form a formidable back row in his absence and Uzokwe wants his team to put a marker down to show they warrant a place in the Premiership.
Uzokwe said: “We've showed in the Prem Cup this season that we can mix it with the top teams. It's another great chance for us to go up against a Premiership side and with conversations going on around promotion if the boys can beat Leicester Tigers it just adds to it. If we can do a job on them at home then that'll speak volumes to the rugby world. I'm gutted to be missing out.”
Trailfinders, who are eight points clear at the top of the Championship with a game in hand, have made three changes to the starting XV that beat Cornish Pirates 40-16 last weekend.
Smid replaces Will Montgomery at No.8, with James Cordy-Redden taking over from Tom Collins to join Jonah Holmes and Max Bodilly in the back three.
Leicester lie sixth in the Premiership and have gone near full strength for this semi-final clash.
Dan McKellar's side have taken the competition seriously with wins over Caldy, Sale, Ampthill and Newcastle before coming unstuck in the final round of pool fixtures in October, losing away at Bedford.
Leicester hooker Finn Theobold-Thomas earns his first start in a Tigers jersey, while Phil Cokanasiga comes into the centres with Matt Scott on the wing and Mike Brown at full-back.
England's A representatives Ollie Hassell-Collins and Jamie Shillcock also feature, with Charlie Clare making his return from injury to take his place on the bench.
