WORCESTER Warriors have named three loan players in a much-changed squad for Sunday’s Premiership Rugby Cup match against Saracens at Allianz Park (kick-off 3.00pm).
Lock Lewis Bean and centre James Williams, who are on loan from National One club Birmingham Moseley, will start against the reigning Gallagher Premiership champions with Hartpury hooker Jordan Liney named as a replacement.
Bean, a serving soldier, and Williams have played for Worcester Cavaliers in the Premiership Rugby Shield this season and have also trained regularly with Warriors at Sixways. Liney joined Greene King IPA Championship club Hartpury during the summer from Bristol Bears’ Academy.
Blindside flanker Zac Xiourouppa will make his first Warriors appearance in two years and full-back Nick David his debut. Xiourouppa has been recalled from a loan spell with Cornish Pirates in the Championship while David made his debut for Moseley, where he is dual-registered, at Loughborough Students last Saturday.
Hooker Beck Cutting, prop Nick Rigby and wing Alex Hearle who are dual- registered with Hartpury, Birmingham & Solihull and Moseley respectively, are named in a Warriors squad for the first time this season.
South Africa centre Wynand Olivier, who will captain Warriors at Allianz Park, and Zimbabwe prop Farai Mudariki, who is returning from a neck injury, provide international experience.
Warriors
15 Nick David
14 Dean Hammond
13 Wynand Olivier (C)
12 James Williams
11 Tom Howe
10 Scott van Breda
9 Luke Baldwin
1 Ryan Bower
2 Beck Cutting
3 Simon Kerrod
4 Lewis Bean
5 Andrew Kitchener
6 Zac Xiourouppa
7 Matti Williams
8 Matt Cox
Replacements
16 Jordan Liney
17 Ethan Waller
18 Farai Mudariki
19 James Scott
20 Nick Rigby
21 Jonny Arr
22 Alex Hearle
23 Luke Scully