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Leicester Tigers new club captain Ollie Chessum has received approval to make his return to Premiership rugby against Harlequins this weekend. Although the vast bulk of Lions tour squad members are not being permitted to their clubs until a later date, the Tigers forward has been granted unique permission.

Chessum, who was injured for much of the previous campaign, ended up starting 16 games and appeared as a substitute in a handful of games. Despite being involved in all three Lions Tests against the Wallabies, the welfare oversight panel managing the health of star performers has permitted him to compete against Harlequins at Leicester's stadium this weekend.

Contrasting Situations for Lions Teammates

The Quins, in contrast, will lack Chessum’s tour colleague Marcus Smith, who is required to postpone another week until he can resume. Unlike Owen Farrell, who also missed time for much of last season and returned for his club's first league match, Smith participated in 34 matches in the previous term, comprising five non-Test Lions tour games and must take a mandatory full 10-week break.

Drive from Past Defeat

Chessum, however, is raring to go and demonstrate that the Tigers can prosper this season in spite of the loss of Michael Cheika and multiple experienced squad members. The Tigers featured in the Prem final in June, but Chessum reveals their thumping lopsided European pool defeat by the French side is the game that has supplied their lasting drive. “There was just a sense of ‘We are never going to that place again’. No matter how we get ready, regardless of how we are instructed, regardless of tactics, we are never going back.”

“It is the worst defeat in the franchise's past and to say you were part of that is shameful really. So, it stings. You will always look back and just ensure you steer clear of a score like that again.”

He added, “I remember Cheik was almost in tears in the locker room. The factor we were in the final last year was due to what happened after that fixture in Toulouse. There was a noticeable transformation in every player.”

Injury Updates from Rival Teams

Bristol Bears, meanwhile, have revealed they have will be without starting playmaker AJ McGinty for nine months after he suffered a setback in their first victory over Leicester. McGinty has gone under the knife on his heel on the same day that his number nine Harry Randall needed surgery on his thigh muscle. Randall will be back in the new year, while the comeback for winger Gabriel Itoye, who also injured his thigh versus the Tigers and requires an operation, is still to be confirmed.

The Blue, Black and White, in their case, have kept Max Ojomoh at fly-half for their home game against Sale on Friday. The Sharks, who similarly had a successful opening to the term in the opening round, have made two enforced changes to their run-on side, with two new faces replacing the unavailable two key players respectively.