HEAD coach Carl Hogg will emphasise the need for a good start from a Worcester Warriors side containing 14 first XV changes today.

Warriors open their European Challenge Cup campaign against French Top 14 side La Rochelle at Sixways (3pm).

Carl Kirwan, a summer signing from London Welsh, is set for his Warriors debut in the back row alongside Sam Betty, who will make his 99th appearance for the club.

Hogg said: “It will be an exciting fixture. La Rochelle have got a big forward pack and are a typical French side.

“They have got some flair behind but a big pack and it’s a challenge we are really looking forward to.

“The first 20 minutes are vital. If you can get some pressure and a foothold in the game in the first 20 and apply your game on top of them, then the challenge might be slightly different.

“If you allow them to get space and express themselves, then they can be a handful like any French side.

“If it clicks for a French side, it can be very dangerous. We have to be nice, accurate and very clinical in those first 20 minutes and then we will see where we sit.”

Matt Cox is at number eight as the only survivor from the starting XV who beat Newcastle Falcons 28-20 in the Aviva Premiership last weekend.

Ben Howard comes in at full-back alongside Tom Biggs and fellow winger Dean Hammond, who is recalled from his loan at Nottingham.

In the centre, Ravai Fatiaki and Max Stelling, who have teamed up for Worcester Cavaliers this season, get their first Warriors starts of the campaign.

Scrum-half Charlie Mulchrone captains Worcester as part of a half-back combination with Ryan Lamb.

Ryan Bower, Ben Sowrey and Joe Rees start in the front row, while Darren O’Shea and Tevita Cavubati occupy the second row.

Among the replacements, scrum-half JB Bruzulier returns from a loan spell with European giants Clermont Auvergne and academy prop Gareth Milasinovich could make his first Warriors appearance.

Hogg added: “Patrice Collazo was a colleague of mine at Gloucester and is now the head coach of La Rochelle.

“I am not sure how they will view the cup but we have got a young, hungry group who want to go out and perform well.

“The players have had a long pre-season and had to wait patiently over the first month. But it’s an opportunity and a chance for them today.

“The key thing is we perform as a team – that’s what has got us merit over the last month and it’s key those who haven’t played channel their intent in the right fashion.

“There are two or three areas we want to work on in this two-week window and let’s see if we can rectify them.”

Warriors: Howard, Biggs, Stelling, Fatiaki, Hammond, Lamb, Mulchrone; Bower, Sowrey, Rees, Cavubati, O’Shea, Betty, Kirwan, Cox. Replacements: Bregvadze, Milasinovich, Daniels, Sanderson, Annett, Bruzulier, Mills, Humphreys.

La Rochelle: Lapeyre, Northam, Roudil, Barraque, Carre, Bouldoire, Januarie; Synaeghel, Gau, Pelo, Cedaro, Lagrange, Graham, Guyot, Kieft. Replacements: Bazadze, Geledan, Corbel, Qovu, Sazy, Lebail, Fortassin, Hingano.