BRIGHT prospect Joe Morris is being primed to make his Worcester Warriors debut after impressing head coach Rory Duncan.

The young tighthead prop who has progressed through England’s age groups to under 20 level joined Warriors’ senior academy in 2016.

This season has seen Morris, 20, learn his trade in the Championship with Hartpury while studying biomedical science at Oxford University and training with Worcester.

“Joe is a youngster but during the time he has been here he has impressed me,” Duncan said.

“He is studying at the moment and has spent a fair amount of time at university.

“He has played quite a few games in the Championship so he is game-fit and ready to go.

“I am looking forward to that opportunity when he gets to play.”

Morris, who stands at 6ft and weights 18st looked set to make his first senior outing for Worcester when he was named in the matchday squad to face Ospreys in the European Challenge Cup last weekend.

But the academy ace and his fellow replacement prop Jack Cosgrove failed to get on the field in the 20-18 win at the Liberty Stadium as Ethan Waller and Simon Kerrod played the full 80 minutes.

“We felt they were going alright,” Duncan said.

“Obviously we get feedback from the players continually throughout the game and they were feeling good.

“Ethan was doing a great job for us at loosehead and Simon had about 12 ball carries and made about 12 or 13 tackles in the game.

“Both of them were still going strong with 70-odd minutes to go so we just decided to let them stay on.

“Also in a tight game making changes in the dying minutes is always risky.”

Cosgrove who has made just once substitute appearance since joining Warriors until the end of the season from Bristol Bears in early December and Morris are in the frame to play in Saturday’s final Pool Two fixture against Stade Francais at Sixways (1pm).

“It is important that everybody gets game-time,” Duncan said.

“That’s how you become a better player, especially for guys like Jack and Joe.

“I can imagine that it was frustrating for them (to stay on the bench) but both of them are good team men and I am pretty sure over the next two games we will see those guys get a hit out.”