WORCESTER Warriors have made two changes to the starting line-up for Sunday's Aviva Premiership clash with Wasps at Sixways (3pm).
Wing Perry Humphreys returns to the side while lock Pierce Phillips is set for his first start for Warriors who are aiming to bounce back from their 35-8 defeat at Newcastle Falcons last week.
Humphreys replaces Dean Hammond while Phillips comes in for injured Will Spencer (ankle), meaning academy graduate Christian Scotland-Williamson is added to the replacements.
Josh Adams keeps his place at full-back after scoring in the season opener at Falcons and is joined by Bryce Heem and Humphreys in the back three.
England and British & Irish Lions star Ben Te’o starts in the centres alongside Jackson Willison while Tom Heathcote and Jonny Arr form the half-back combination.
Ryan Bower, Jack Singleton and Nick Schonert start in the front row while skipper Donncha O’Callaghan partners Phillips in the second row.
Matt Cox, Sam Lewis and GJ van Velze maintain their spots in the back row while young utility back Jamie Shillcock is named on the bench.
Wasps will be without potent wing Christian Wade after he sustained a hamstring injury in their 50-35 victory over Sale Sharks.
Wade is replaced by Marcus Watson while Guy Thompson has returned to fitness to take a spot in the back row.
Thompson’s inclusion at seven, sees Alex Rieder move to six and Ashley Johnson return to the front row in the number two shirt.
Juan De Jongh (finger) is also ruled out through injury.
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young believes a "dangerous" Worcester team will be up for the fight after losing to Newcastle.
“Listening to Gary Gold’s interviews after their game last weekend, they were clearly disappointed with the result, so we know they’re going to come out looking to put the record straight," Young said.
“It’s not always ideal to play a team who had a disappointment the week before, especially playing them at their place, that’s probably when they’re at their most dangerous, so we know it’s going to be tough for us down there.
“We were pleased with our first 25 minutes last Saturday, we stuck to our policies and structure, and came away with a lot of good scores.
"That has got to be our blueprint this weekend - we have to keep hold of the ball and we know we’ll score tries.
"If we can play for 60 or 70 minutes like we did for the first 25 minutes last weekend, it will take a very good side to beat us.”
Warriors
15 Josh Adams
14 Perry Humphreys
13 Ben Te’o
12 Jackson Willison
11 Bryce Heem
10 Tom Heathcote
9 Jonny Arr
1 Ryan Bower
2 Jack Singleton
3 Nick Schonert
4 Donncha O’Callaghan (C)
5 Pierce Phillips
6 Matt Cox
7 Sam Lewis
8 GJ van Velze
Replacements
16 Joe Taufete’e
17 Ethan Waller
18 Biyi Alo
19 Christian Scotland-Williamson
20 Alafoti Faosiliva
21 Peter Stringer
22 Sam Olver
23 Jamie Shillcock
Wasps
15 Willie Le Roux
14 Marcus Watson
13 Gaby Lovobalavu
12 Jimmy Gopperth
11 Josh Bassett
10 Danny Cipriani
9 Dan Robson
1. Simon McIntyre
2 Ashley Johnson
3 Jake Cooper-Woolley
4 Joe Launchbury (c)
5 Kearnan Myall
6 Alex Rieder
7 Guy Thompson
8 Nathan Hughes
Replacements
16 Tom Cruse
17 Matt Mullan
18 Paul Doran-Jones
19 Matt Symons
20 Jack Willis
21 Joe Simpson
22 Brendan Macken
23 Rob Miller
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