HOOKER Matt Moulds will captain Warriors on his first Gallagher Premiership start against Gloucester at Kingsholm on Friday (kick-off 7.45pm).
Moulds, who made his Premiership debut as a replacement against Sale Sharks three weeks ago, starts as Niall Annett has been ruled out for by a shoulder injury sustained early on in the European Challenge Cup match at Dragons last week.
Moulds already has captaincy experience with Northland in his native New Zealand and will become the seventh player to lead Warriors this season after club captain GJ van Velze, Marco Mama, Ryan Mills, Jono Kitto, Jono Lance and Annett.
Mills has recovered from a hamstring injury and returns to renew his partnership with Ashley Beck with Melani Nanai back on the left wing in the other changes to the starting XV that faced Dragons.
Loosehead prop Ryan Bower, USA hooker Joe Taufete’e, former Connacht tighthead prop Conor Carey and full-back/fly-half Jamie Shillcock have all been named among the replacements.
Bower made his 100th Warriors appearance against Dragons two weeks ago but has not played in the Premiership in 14 months.
He missed the last six months of last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon and has now been recalled in the absence of Ethan Waller who is suspended for three weeks following his red card against Dragons.
Warriors
15 Chris Pennell
14 Perry Humphreys
13 Ashley Beck
12 Ryan Mills
11 Melani Nanai
10 Duncan Weir
9 Francois Hougaard
1 Callum Black
2 Matt Moulds (C)
3 Nick Schonert
4 Anton Bresler
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Ted Hill
7 Sam Lewis
8 Cornell du Preez
Replacements
16 Joe Taufete’e
17 Ryan Bower
18 Conor Carey
19 Michael Fatialofa
20 G J van Velze
21 Michael Heaney
22 Jono Lance
23 Jamie Shillcock