WARRIORS wing Alex Hearle will make his first Gallagher Premiership appearance of the season against Harlequins at The Stoop on Saturday (kick-off 5pm).
Hearle, who recently signed a contract extension, will start in the absence of the suspended Chris Ashton and the injured Tom Howe who took a bang to the hip during last week’s training match against Bristol Bears.
It will be Hearle’s first start since the European Rugby Challenge Cup match against Pau in December and his first appearance in the Premiership since August.
Jamie Shillcock will start at full-back and South Africa international Francois Venter will partner Ollie Lawrence in the centre in the other changes to the back division that faced Northampton Saints in Warriors‘ last competitive match three weeks ago.
In the pack, Graham Kitchener returns to make his 99th appearance for the club and to form a new second row pairing with Joe Batley.
Batley started at number eight against Northampton before switching to the second row. His place in the middle of the back row is taken by the experienced GJ van Velze.
Tighthead prop Richard Palframan and lock Anton Bresler have recovered from injuries and have been named among the replacements along with wing/full-back Harri Doel who is set to make his Premiership debut.
Doel,20, has been signed on loan from Scarlets having also represented Wales Under-20s and played for Llandovery and Swansea University.
Warriors | 15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Francois Hougaard, 1 Ethan Waller, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Nick Schonert , 4 Joe Batley, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Ted Hill (C), 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 GJ van Velze.
Replacements | 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Marc Thomas, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Anton Bresler, 20 Tom Dodd, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Ashley Beck, 23 Harri Doel.
Unavailable | Conor Carey, Beck Cutting, Matt Cox, Nick David, Noah Heward, Tom Howe, Sam Lewis, Marco Mama, George Merrick, Melani Nanai, Duncan Weir.