WORCESTER Warriors have named five internationals including debutant Farai Mudariki in a star-studded side for the Premiership Rugby Cup opener against Sale Sharks at Sixways on Friday (7.45pm).

Zimbabwe tighthead prop Mudariki has impressed for Worcester Cavaliers in the Premiership Shield since signing from French club Stado Tarbes in the summer but has yet to get a taste of first-team action.

With Nick Schonert away on an England training camp in Portugal, Mudariki has been named in the starting XV for the visit of Sale in the first match to be played in the new competition which has replaced the Anglo Welsh Cup.

South Africa stars scrum-half Francois Hougaard and centre Francois Venter as well as Scotland fly-half Duncan Weir and Wales wing Josh Adams have also been selected in the starting line-up.

Ten of the side named for Sale’s visit started in Warriors’ last Gallagher Premiership match against Bristol Bears three weeks ago.

Jamie Shillcock, who started at fly-half against Ospreys, switches to full-back in place of Chris Pennell.

Ollie Lawrence partners Venter in the centre while Pierce Phillips renews a second row pairing with Anton Bresler and Matt Cox will start at blindside in place of Ted Hill who is also in Portugal with Schonert and centre Ben Te’o.

Loosehead prop Ryan Bower returns to the squad as a replacement with South Africa international centre Wynand Olivier also named on the bench.

In Sale's team news announcement on the club's website it read: "In accordance with the spirit of the competition, a predominantly young side with a 20-year-old captain will take to the field."

Only Kieran Wilkinson, Ben Curry and Josh Beaumont started against Connacht last Saturday as Sharks have decided to ring the changes.

Tom Roebuck, Sam Dugdale, Nic Dolly, Teddy Leatherbarrow, Matt Sturgess, Tom Curtis and Nathan Pope are also set to make their senior debuts.

Warriors: Shillcock; Heem, Lawrence, Venter, Adams; Weir, Hougaard; 

Black, Singleton, Mudariki, Bresler, Phillips, Cox, Lewis, van Velze (c).

Replacements: Annett, Bower, Milasinovich, Barry, Williams, Heaney, Olivier, Humphreys.

Sharks: Reed; Roebuck, Doherty, James, Odogwu; Wilkinson, Warr; Bristow, Langdon, Tarus, Nott, Ostrikov, Dugdale, Curry (c) Beaumont. 

Replacements: Dolly, Pope, Jones, Postlethwaite, Leatherbarrow, Sturgess, Curtis, Pope.