HEAD coach Carl Hogg will step into Dean Ryan’s shoes for Worcester Warriors’ trip to Nottingham in the opening British and Irish Cup pool match.

Scrum-half Jean Baptiste-Bruzulier is likely to wear the captain’s armband for Sunday’s match, revealed director of rugby Ryan.

Warriors will make wholesale changes to the side which gave their most cohesive display of the campaign in Saturday’s 47-7 win at Rotherham in the Greene King IPA Championship.

Their next league match is now not until the home fixture with Bedford Blues on Friday, November 7.

Ryan says the cup competition is an ideal chance to give fresh opportunities to players and coaches.

The Cavaliers team have won their opening three matches in this term’s Aviva ‘A’ League against Gloucester, Leicester and Northampton.

Ryan said: “The group that is going so well in the ‘A’ League will be given a chance and we are going to develop different coaches so we have other people heading up the cup programme.

“We will give the club a good shake-up and give people more opportunities. The players are responding and it’s making for a healthy, vibrant place.

“I see it as another opportunity to broaden the base of the club and the experience of the coaches.”

Ryan admitted it had been important to win at Clifton Lane to head into the cup with high spirits.

Warriors remain second, behind Andy Robinson’s Bristol, in the Championship table and have scored 15 tries in their last two matches.

Ryan said: “We needed to win at the weekend so we can go into the British and Irish Cup with confidence.

“A lot of guys have gained from the last four or five weeks and we have seen a lot and have kept winning, which is crucial.

“Now we go into a new tournament and see if we can increase the depth of Worcester even further.

“We will use the next three or four weeks to develop and then come back into the Championship programme.”

After Sunday’s trip to Nottingham (3pm), Warriors host Munster ‘A’ on October 18 and travel to Moseley seven days later.

Ryan added: “Carl will probably step into my shoes and Sam Vesty will go as head coach with Mefin Davies.

“Carl will take a more strategic role and look at the programme, while Sam will drive it and Mefin will be a forwards coach.

“It’s a really healthy way of shaking up the coaching team and seeing them in a different environment too.”