WING Melani Nanai will make his keenly-anticipated debut for Warriors in Saturday’s Premiership Cup match against Bath Rugby at The Rec (3pm).

Nanai joined Warriors after a successful season of Super Rugby with Blues as one of eight new signings made by director of rugby Alan Solomons for the new season.

Nanai will start for Warriors at Bath in a completely changed starting XV to the one that defeated Leicester Tigers 57-23 in last week’s season opener at Sixways.

Marco Mama will captain Warriors in his comeback appearance following his recovery from complications that followed the dead leg he suffered in the win over Gloucester in April.

Internationals Chris Pennell, Duncan Weir, Francois Hougaard and Cornell du Preez all start with Ollie Lawrence and Will Butler, who have also recovered from injuries sustained in the second half of last season, forming a new centre pairing.

Former London Scottish and London Irish tighthead prop Richard Palframan is set for his Warriors debut off the bench.

Six players who were involved in the Leicester win – Isaac Miller, Ryan Bower, Ted Hill, Michael Heaney, Jamie Shillcock and Alex Hearle – have been named as replacements along with lock Justin Clegg who is in line to make his first senior appearance in 11 months.

Newly-appointed captain Charlie Ewels will lead out Bath for the first home game of the season

and will feature in a starting line-up which sees new signings Christian Judge, Josh McNally and ex-Warriors forward Mike Williams all make their debuts.

Beno Obano, Ross Batty and Judge form the front row, with Ewels and McNally the lock pairing for the second round tie.

Williams, Josh Bayliss and Zach Mercer complete the pack in the back row.   

Will Chudley and Rhys Priestland start in the half back pairing, with Max Wright and Max Clark at inside and outside centre respectively.

Levi Davis, who scored in last weekend’s opener against Exeter Chiefs, switches from the left to the right wing, with Aled Brew and Tom Homer completing the back three.

Lewis Boyce and Will Stuart could also make their first appearances for Bath Rugby after being named among the replacements.

Warriors: Pennell; Howe, Lawrence, Butler, Nanai; Weir, Hougaard; Black, Annett, Schonert, Kitchener, Fatialofa, Mama (C), Lewis, du Preez.

Replacements: Miller, Bower, Palframan, Clegg, Hill, Heaney, Shillcock, Hearle.

Bath: Homer; Davis, Clark, Wright, Brew; Priestland, Chudley; Obano, Batty, Judge, McNally, Ewels (c), Williams, Bayliss, Mercer.  

Replacements: Dunn, Boyce, Stuart, Stooke, Davies, Green, Burns, de Glanville.