FLANKER Dewald Potgieter will skipper Worcester Warriors in Sunday's West Midlands derby against Wasps at Sixways (3pm).

Head coach Carl Hogg has made six changes to the side which suffered a 57-22 Aviva Premiership drubbing at Exeter Chiefs last Saturday.

Sam Lewis is set for his first Premiership start in the back row alongside Potgieter and Alafoti Fa'osiliva, who returns from international duty with Samoa.

In the front row, Georgian Jaba Bregvadze is back in the side while Nick Schonert is set for his 50th appearance for the club at tighthead.

The experienced Donncha O’Callaghan returns to the starting line-up in the second row.

In the backs, Jackson Willison starts in midfield to partner Wynand Olivier and winger Cooper Vuna returns to the team following his international debut for Tonga last weekend.

Experienced back-row Phil Dowson is dropped the bench.

New signing Connor Braid is also on the bench along with former Wasps prop James Johnston.

There is no place in the squad for Carl Kirwan or Dean Hammond, who started at Sandy Park last weekend.

Warriors:

15 Chris Pennell

14 Bryce Heem

13 Wynand Olivier

12 Jackson Willison

11 Cooper Vuna

10 Jamie Shillcock

9 Jonny Arr

1 Val Rapava Ruskin

2 Jaba Bregvadze

3 Nick Schonert

4 Donncha O’Callaghan

5 Darren Barry

6 Dewald Potgieter (C)

7 Sam Lewis

8 Alafoti Faosiliva

Replacements

16 Jack Singleton

17 Na’ama Leleimalefaga

18 James Johnston

19 Andrew Kitchener

20 Phil Dowson

21 Michael Dowsett

22 Connor Braid

23 Josh Adams