FLANKER Sam Betty will be looking to make a memorable return to his former club when Worcester Warriors travel to Cornish Pirates tomorrow (Saturday).
The 28-year-old will face his old side at Mennaye Field since leaving the outfit for Warriors in 2011 as he has been handed a starting place by director of rugby Dean Ryan.
And the back row will be keen to pick up from where he left off as his late try against Yorkshire Carnegie last week was his 17th score in as many games.
It also secured Worcester a 39-26 victory which they will be aiming to build on when they go up against the Pirates in the penultimate game of the regular Greene King IPA Championship season.
Head coach Carl Hogg said: “Cornish Pirates have a big forward pack. They’ve got a very good drive and a very good pick-and-go game.
“We know the areas they’re coming at so we’ve got to put our house in order.
“Over the last couple of months we’ve obviously given players opportunities. There are one or two positions up for debate and that’s why we’ve seen changes this weekend.
“Cornish Pirates beat Bristol down there not so long ago so we’re under no illusions how tough it will be.
“We know we’ve got something on the horizon but we’ve got to be professional and focus on this challenge.”
Tom Biggs also returns to the side in place of wing Sam Smith while Andy Symons comes into the backline after getting the nod ahead of Max Stelling at outside-centre.
Charlie Mulchrone steps in at scrum-half to link-up with stand-off Ryan Lamb while winger Cooper Vuna and full-back Chris Pennell keep their starting berths.
In the forward pack, Ryan Bower replaces Val Rapava Ruskin in the front-row with Niall Annett given the nod at hooker next to Nick Schonert.
Darren O’Shea gets a first start in the second-row since February in place of Jonathan Thomas, who moves to the back-row to partner Betty and skipper GJ van Velze as Warriors hunt a 19th win of the league campaign.
Warriors’ side to face Cornish Pirates:
Pennell, Biggs, Symons, Mills, Vuna, Lamb, Mulchrone, Bower, Annett, Schonert, Williams, O’Shea, Thomas, Betty, Van Velze (c)
Replacements: Creevy, Rapava Ruskin, Rees, Percival, Arr, Stelling, Howard