WING Jack Johnson will make his competitive debut for Warriors in Saturday’s Premiership Rugby Cup opener against Bristol Bears at Sixways (kick-off 3pm).
Johnson was signed from Championship club Hartpury during the summer and played in the pre-season friendly at Cornish Pirates in September.
The England Students international has had to wait patiently for his first competitive appearance but now gets it in a starting XV that includes ten players who were involved in the Gallagher Premiership match against Bristol at Ashton Gate two weeks ago.
Wing Alex Hearle and openside flanker Tom Dodd will both make their first competitive appearances of the season with hooker Niall Annett and fly-half Billy Searle sharing the captaincy duties.
Lock Anton Bresler is set to make his seasonal debut off the bench having recovered from a foot injury that required surgery during the summer with scrum-half Ollie Wynn in line for his senior debut as a replacement.
Wynn, a member of the Three Pears Warriors Academy, has been recalled from a loan spell at Championship club Ampthill.
Wing Tom Howe (Coventry) and props Kai Owen and Joe Morris (Birmingham Moseley) have also been recalled from loan spells and have been named among the replacements.
Warriors | 15 Harri Doel, 14 Alex Hearle, 13 Oli Morris, 12 Will Butler, 11 Jack Johnson, 10 Billy Searle (CC), 9 Gareth Simpson, 1 Marc Thomas, 2 Niall Annett (CC), 3 Jay Tyack, 4 Andrew Kitchener, 5 Justin Clegg, 6 Joe Batley, 7 Tom Dodd, 8 Matt Kvesic.
Replacements | 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Kai Owen, 18 Joe Morris, 19 Anton Bresler, 20, Sam Lewis, 21 Ollie Wynn, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Tom Howe.