HEAD coach Richard Hill cannot wait to see new signing Ezra Taylor in action as he makes his debut for Worcester Warriors tomorrow (3pm).

The all-action back row arrived at Sixways last week and has been handed the number eight jersey for the Adams Park clash against Wasps.

Samoa international Taylor is one of five alterations, four in the pack, to the Warriors’ starting line-up following Tuesday’s 32-13 defeat to Leicester Tigers.

Hill said: “We are looking forward to seeing Ezra in action for Warriors.

“He is an international player who has featured for both the Highlanders and Reds in Super 15 and Connacht in the Magners League so is very keen to make an impression in the English game.”

As well as Taylor, who comes into the back row alongside Matt Kvesic, Aleki Lutui and Oliver Tomaszczyk both win call-ups in the front row, while the versatile Chris Jones moves to number five.

Scrum-half Jonny Arr is recalled to partner fly-half Joe Carlisle as former England international Shaun Perry drops to the bench.

Hill has opted to freshen up his team following a bruising contest against the Tigers and is eager to get a glimpse of new recruit Taylor in a Worcester shirt.

The Sixways head coach has also demanded a better start in High Wycombe after Leicester opened up a 17-0 lead in the early exchanges on Tuesday.

Hill continued: “After a physical game with Leicester and a short turnaround, we make changes in the front five with Aleki and Oliver coming into the front row. Chris moves back into lock, while Matt also starts.

“It promises to be a very tough encounter at Adams Park between two teams who are both keen to produce a positive response after defeats over Christmas.

“We were very disappointed by our opening 20 minutes against Leicester Tigers so it is imperative we produce a better opening at Wasps against a team who we know will look to fly out of the traps.”

Wasps also make five changes as they bid to bounce back from the 39-10 Boxing Day defeat at Gloucester.

Influential flanker Jonathan Poff returns to the number seven shirt after six weeks out through injury and is joined in the back row by new signing Tinus Du Plessis and Sam Jones.

Tom Varndell and Dom Waldouck are also in the starting line-up with the latter having recovered from a knock which kept him out of the Gloucester game.

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said: “Worcester are a physical, powerful outfit and we’ve been working hard this week preparing for what’s going to be a tough match.”

Warriors: Pennell; Garvey, Grove, Rasmussen, Benjamin; Carlisle, Arr; Mullan, Lutui, Tomaszczyk, Percival, C Jones, Betty, Kvesic, Taylor. Replacements: Douglas, Shervington, Taumoepeau, Gulliver, Abbott, Perry, Goode, Fatiaki.

Wasps: Haughton; Varndell, Waldouck, Flutey, Wade; Robinson, Simpson; Payne, Webber, Broster, Birkett, Wentzel, Du Plessis, Poff, S Jones. Replacements: Lindsay, Baker, Castex, O’Donoghue, Everard, Berry, Davis, Daly.