SAMOAN international winger David Lemi is back in contention for Worcester Warriors’ Aviva Premiership pipe-opener with Bath on Saturday (3pm) after recovering from a rib injury.

The former Bristol and Wasps flier sustained the problem during the JP Morgan Sevens series and hasn’t featured in any of the club’s pre-season games, but head coach Richard Hill is ready to throw his summer recruit straight into the mix this weekend.

Hill also confirmed scrum-half Shaun Perry will start the Sixways clash and the veteran number nine will be marshalling a monster pack as Worcester look to start their campaign with a statement of intent.

Enforcer Dean Schofield will be in the second row and Hill is likely to continue his pre-season plan of partnering the new skipper with James Percival, while Semisi Taulava and Chris Jones could join forces again in a physically imposing back row.

Hill said: “Shaun will start at nine and Dean will captain the side from the second row. David took a knock to the rib, but that is well healed now and he is available.

“We have been a bit unfortunate with a couple of knocks to our new players, so I don’t think we’ll see the likes of Paul Hodgson, Nikki Walker or Jon Clarke until the end of September, hopefully sooner. It’s disappointing having new players coming in, but not having them available for the first couple of games.

“With Blair Cowan having broken his hand, it has left Semisi clear to claim a first team place and, on the back of his performances, he has pleasantly surprised all of us.

“People like Semisi and Josh Matavesi, who are little known in the Premiership, have been exceptionally good signings and I’m delighted with both of them.”

Former Bath stalwart Hill is predicting a completely new challenge from his old club as he expects them to this term abandon their famous free-flowing, attacking rugby in favour of a more tactical kicking-based game.

He added: “Bath are one of about half-a-dozen teams in the Premiership who have had a complete overhaul of their coaching staff. “They look to have completely changed their tactics from last year, so we are second guessing how they will play.

“Last year, they used to run the ball from everywhere. However, having watched them against London Welsh, Ospreys and Cardiff in pre-season, they just kicked the leather off the ball all game, which can be winning rugby on wet days.

“I imagine Bath will come here and look to put the ball in behind us.”