WORCESTER Warriors have made 14 changes to the starting line-up ahead of tomorrow's European Challenge Cup opener against La Rochelle at Sixways (3pm).

Carl Kirwan is set for his Warriors debut in the back row alongside Sam Betty, who will make his 99th appearance for the club, while Matt Cox is at number eight as the only survivor from the starting 15 that beat Newcastle Falcons 28-20 last weekend.

Ben Howard comes in at full-back alongside Tom Biggs and fellow winger Dean Hammond, who is recalled from his loan spell 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 will captain Worcester as part of a half-back combination with Ryan Lamb.

In the pack, Ryan Bower, Ben Sowrey and Joe Rees start in the front row, while Darren O'Shea and Fiji international Tevita Cavubati occupy the second row.

In 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 from the bench.

Niall Annett is named as back row replacement.

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.