Warriors name side for Champ Rugby opener

Head coach Matt Everard has named his Worcester side ahead of the Warriors return to competitive action against Coventry on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, head coach Matt Everard said, “Coventry are top quality team and they’ve got a very good squad.”

“You’ve seen how they’ve progressed across the Champ over the last few seasons and they’re really well coached by Alex Rae and Gordon Ross.”

Matt Rogerson captains the side from number eight and is joined again by Tim Anstee and Matt Kvesic to make up the same back-row trio that started against Bath.

Billy Keast and Tim Hoyt both start again at prop, with former Coventry hooker Will Biggs wearing the two shirt.

Côme Joussain and Bath Rugby loanee Harvey Cuckson round-out the pack in the second-row.

Welsh international Lloyd Williams starts again at scrum-half and is joined this week by Will Reed at fly-half with Billy Twelvetrees and Tom Seabrook again partnering up in the centres.

Louis Brown wears the fifteen shirt with Alfie Garside and Roma Zheng lining up on the wings to complete the starting XV.

Austin Wallis, Livai Natave and Ashley Challenger are the front-row replacements with Hallam Chapman, Thabo Ndimande and Khalik Kareem the other forward options.

Jake Garside and James Short round-off the 23 to take the pitch in-front of a sold-out Sixways.

Everard added, “I just speak about the boys enjoying the occasion, expressing the best version of themselves – just enjoy it.”

“The lads are very, very grateful for the support we have – that started from the open fan trainings which I think were actually more powerful for the playing group then they were for the fans.”

Warriors Team vs Coventry (H – Champ Rugby Rd 1) – 2PM, Sixways

15 Louis Brown, 14 Roma Zheng, 13 Tom Seabrook, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Alfie Garside, 10 Will Reed, 9 Lloyd Williams; 1 Billy Keast, 2 Will Biggs, 3 Tim Hoyt, 4 Côme Joussain, 5 Harvey Cuckson, 6 Tim Anstee, 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Matt Rogerson ©

16 Austin Wallis, 17 Livai Natave, 18 Ashley Challenger, 19 Hallam Chapman, 20 Thabo Ndimande, 21 Jake Garside, 22 James Short, 23 Khalik Kareem