FORMER England back-row forward Matt Kvesic will make his first appearance for Warriors in seven weeks in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership match against Saracens at Sixways (kick-off 3.00pm).
Kvesic has been sidelined by an ankle injury since Warriors beat Exeter Chiefs in mid-March but, having recovered, he comes back into the starting XV at number eight for the penultimate Premiership match of the season.
Captain Ted Hill, who started at number eight at Wasps last week, moves to the openside flank to accommodate Kvesic’s return.
There are five more changes to the side that played Wasps with British and Irish Lions loosehead Rory Sutherland back in the front row.
Sutherland came off the bench at Wasps and swaps places with his fellow Scotland international Murray McCallum who started last week.
Gareth Simpson and Fin Smith return as the half-back partnership and Tom Howe, who scored Warriors’ first try in Wednesday’s Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final win against Gloucester Rugby, starts on the left wing.
British and Irish Lions international Duhan van der Merwe, who returned from a rib injury against Gloucester, is ruled out by a slight Achilles tendon irritation.
Noah Heward returns at full-back after he made his comeback from a head injury in the cup semi-final.
Wales international centre Ashley Beck returns to the matchday squad as a replacement having recovered from a knee injury.
Warriors | 15 Noah Heward, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Oli Morris, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Tom Howe, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Gareth Simpson, 1 Rory Sutherland, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Joe Batley, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Kyle Hatherell, 7 Ted Hill (C), 8 Matt Kvesic.
Replacements | 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Ashley Beck.