HEAD coach Carl Hogg has backed his youngsters to steer Worcester Warriors to British & Irish Cup glory when they face Doncaster Knights in the final tomorrow (Friday, 5.10pm).
New recruit Cooper Vuna has been drafted into the side which also inludes the experience of James Percival, Alex Grove, Mat Gilbert and Dan George.
But Hogg has kept faith with a number of the club’s youngsters who have carried Warriors to the final with victories of Pontypridd and Leinster A.
And he said he was confident his youthful side, which will be led by promising scrum half JB Bruzulier, can defeat Doncaster at Castle Park and claim their first silverware of the season.
“This group has done extremely well to get to this situation,” Hogg said. “We’ve had some good battles both home and away at Munster A and in the knockout stages against Pontypridd and champions Leinster A, so it’s a final this young group deserves to be in.
“They have worked extremely hard throughout the season, whether that be in the Aviva A League or the B&I Cup and they’re putting pressure on the Championship group so it’s good for us.
“Competition for places generates the intensity. It’s all done with a purpose of getting a performance on Friday night and that’s key.”
Among those youngsters includes academy ace Tiff Eden who has been given the nod at fly-half where he will link up with centres Ravai Fatiaki and Grove.
Talented full back Ben Howard and wing Dean Hammond are part of a pacy back three which also includes Vuna who marked his Sixways debut with a try against London Scottish last weekend.
In the forward pack, Ofa Fainga’anuku lines up next to Dan George and Joe Rees in the front-row while Dan Sanderson and Percival start in the second-row.
Matt Cox and Gilbert are joined in the back-row by England Sevens international Richard de Carpentier, as Warriors go in search of their first national cup trophy.
Warriors’ side to face Doncaster:
Howard, Hammond, Grove, Fatiaki, Vuna, Eden, Bruzulier (c), Fainga’anuku, George, Rees, Percival, Sanderson, Cox, Gilbert, de Carpentier
Replacements: Sowrey, Rapava Ruskin, Daniels, Taylor, Mulchrone, Mieres, Humphreys