WARRIORS scrum-half Michael Heaney will make his first Gallagher Premiership start of the season against Exeter Chiefs at Sixways on Sunday (kick-off 3pm).
Heaney fills the gap left by South Africa international Francois Hougaard who suffered a rotator cuff injury in a shoulder last week and will be sidelined for at least three weeks.
Heaney, who is in his second season with Warriors, played in three Premiership Rugby Cup matches earlier this season but this will be only the second Premiership start of his career and his first since Gloucester at Kingsholm 11 months ago.
With Jono Kitto, another scrum-half, ruled out by a groin injury Warriors have called up Gareth Simpson for a possible Premiership debut off the bench.
Simpson, who turns 22 on Saturday, joined the Three Pears Warriors Academy during the summer having impressed in the Premiership Rugby Shield in the second half of last season while he was on trial.
Warriors have made two changes to their pack with Callum Black and Graham Kitchener starting at loosehead prop and lock respectively with Ethan Waller and Michael Fatialofa on the bench.
Back-row forward Marco Mama has recovered from the head injury that ruled him out of the Northampton match and he has been named as one of six forward replacements.
Centre Ryan Mills will again captain Warriors on his 99th appearance for the club.
Warriors
15 Chris Pennell
14 Perry Humphreys
13 Ashley Beck
12 Ryan Mills (C)
11 Melani Nanai
10 Duncan Weir
9 Michael Heaney
1 Callum Black
2 Niall Annett
3 Conor Carey
4 Anton Bresler
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Ted Hill
7 Sam Lewis
8 Cornell du Preez
Replacements
16 Joe Taufete’e
17 Ethan Waller
18 Richard Palframan
19 Michael Fatialofa
20 GJ van Velze
21 Marco Mama
22 Gareth Simpson
23 Francois Venter
Players not considered for selection due to injury: Will Butler, Tom Dodd, Alex Hearle, Francois Hougaard, Andrew Kitchener, Jono Kitto, Matt Moulds, Farai Mudariki, Nick Schonert.