TWENTY-year-old flanker Brett Scriven has been thrown into the Premiership Two promotion race after being handed his first team debut for Worcester.

The former Welsh colt starts at blindside flanker against bottom club West Hartlepool because James Cockle is suffering from concussion problems (3pm).

Scriven's youth in the pack will also be matched by experience as prop Mark Linnett will start his first league game this season -- just five days before his 37th birthday.

Linnett starts the game as Tony Windo is sidelined with ankle trouble and Worcester have decided not to extend Alan Yates's loan from Cardiff.

The changes mean 19-year-old tight head prop Bennett Smith also comes into the squad for the first time as Worcester make seven changes from the 22 which won at Waterloo three weeks ago. Since then seven players have left the club.

"We're now looking to promote the Under 21s and that's why Brett and Bennett have come into the squad," said Cusworth. "Brett has worked hard and Phil Maynard has been watching him closely for the past month and he deserves his opportunity.

"And Mark Linnett may be almost 37 but he's still in the flush of youth and probably fitter than when he was 27. He certainly won't let us down."

Tomorrow's match also sees the return of former Worcester stand-off James Lofthouse who joined West Hartlepool last October.

Worcester: Tuipulotu, Myler, Higgins, Currier, Baxter, Yapp, Fenley, Linnett, Richards, Lyman, Raymond, Denhardt, Scriven, Carter, Jenner. Reps: Smith, Ball, Lloyd, Merlin, Woof, Martens, Harvey.