GEOFF Cooke's Worcester Rugby Club side are aiming to finish their Sixways fixtures on a high and bury the memory of last week's shock defeat at Rugby.

He has again rung the changes for the visit of Manchester in Premiership Two (3pm).

Stephen Ward makes his debut at stand-off for the injured Ben Harvey, while flanker Dave Merlin switches to lock and Brett Scriven joins the back row.

Mat Walker starts on the left wing in place of the injured Sateki Tuipulotu, but centre Andrew Higgins has not been included despite returning from the Under 19s World Cup in France.

"We couldn't get much worse than last week," said Cooke.

"It's our last home game and we want to finish on the highest note possible to encourage our supporters who have been good all season.

"We're the best supported team in the second division and we want people to go away in a positive frame of mind with a good performance."

Harvey is absent with a shoulder injury, but Cooke said 22-year-old Ward would have started tomorrow's match regardless.

"We're looking for next season and he's had one or two good performances for the development team particularly on a wet night the other week against Kidderminster," added Cooke.

"He's now got to show us what he can do at the higher level but the other changes have been forced.

"We've had a disastrous end of season spell for injuries, no sooner Steve Lloyd retires then Richard Denhardt gets injured.

"It's a big blow and I'm disappointed for him because he was made captain for the final four games but only managed-one-and-a-half."

Worcester: Yapp, Baxter, Woof, Myler, Walker, Ward, Simpson-Daniel, Windo, Richards, Collins, Merlin, Raymond, Scriven, Carter, Jenner. Replacements: Lyman, Denham, Daws, Hall, Currier, Eastwood, Fenley.