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Worcester change entire XV for Wasps, handing 3 youngsters their Premiership debuts

20 Aug 2020

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Worcester have handed debuts to three youngsters for their Friday night Gallagher Premiership trip to Wasps, with the possibility of four more players making their competition debut from the bench at the Ricoh Arena.

Beaten comprehensively by Gloucester when the 2019/20 league season recommenced last weekend, the Warriors’ reshuffle will see wing Noah Heward, who is still in the senior academy, get his first taste of the Premiership, with scrum-half Gareth Simpson and lock James Scott, who recently graduated to the senior squad at Sixways, also making their competition debuts.

There are four more potential Premiership debutants among the Worcester replacements in former Oxford University tighthead prop Joe Morris, lock Justin Clegg, former Saracens centre Oli Morris – another current senior academy member – and back row forward Caleb Montgomery.

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None of the side who started against Gloucester will be involved against Wasps but Scotland internationals Duncan Weir and Cornell du Preez, South Africa centre Francois Venter, hooker Beck Cutting, tighthead prop Richard Palframan and back row forward GJ van Velze will all start after coming off the bench last weekend.

Chris Pennell replaces the suspended Melani Nanai at full-back and loosehead prop Callum Black returns to action for the first time since he sustained a foot injury at Saracens in early January.

He's no household name but the story of @AlexRieder1 is a compelling insight into hardships inflicted by the sport: shattered limbs, dependence on painkillers and an onerous mental health battle that preyed on vulnerabilities
– he talks to @heagneyl ???https://t.co/orpMtJLZH5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 19, 2020

Lee Blackett, meanwhile, will give first Wasps starts to Ben Vellacott and Ryan Mills, the pair who came off the bench to make their debuts in last Sunday’s win over Northampton Saints.

There are two potential Premiership debutants in the 23, as Alfie Barbeary and Theo Vukasinovic are named among the replacements.

WASPS: 15. Rob Miller; 14. Paolo Odogwu, 13. Michael Le Bourgeois, 12. Ryan Mills, 11. Marcus Watson; 10. Lima Sopoaga, Ben Vellacott; 1. Simon McIntyre, 2. Tom Cruse, 3. Biyi Alo, 4. Tim Cardall, 5. James Gaskell (capt), 6. Ben Morris, 7. Gabriel Oghre, 8. Tom Willis. Reps: 16. Alfie Barbeary, 17. Tom West, 18. Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 19. Theo Vukasinovic, 20. Sione Vailanu, 21. Sam Wolstenholme, 22. Jacob Umaga, 23. Matteo Minozzi.

WORCESTER: 15. Chris Pennell; 14. Noah Heward, 13. Francois Venter, 12. Will Butler (capt), 11. Nick David; 10. Duncan Weir, 9. Gareth Simpson; 1. Callum Black, 2. Beck Cutting, 3. Richard Palframan, 4. James Scott, 5. Andrew Kitchener, 6. GJ van Velze, 7. Tom Dodd, 8. Cornell du Preez. Reps: 16. Isaac Miller, 17. Lewis Holsey, 18. Joe Morris, 19. Justin Clegg, 20 Caleb. Montgomery, 21. Jono Kitto, 22. Jamie Shillcock, 23. Oli Morris.

"He gives us that big physical edge and we don’t want to tweak him too much"
– Wasps boss Lee Blackett is still singing the praises of hard-hitting Malakai Fekitoa despite his one-game ban for a series of yellow cards, reports @heagneyl ???https://t.co/wI9beyY9Gz
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 19, 2020

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tf 7 minutes ago

Brian O'Driscoll the latest name to back 'brilliant fit' Lions bolter

Yeah they are all fantastic in their way. The pick will probably be down to the way Farrell wants to play. Ford could have easily been picked in 17 and 22 but Gatland liked Biggar probably due to strength under the high ball and defense.

What I’d say about Ford and England is that he isn’t going to run all the way to 27 so has to be dropped sooner. But that doesn’t affect the Lions.

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JanetAmos 9 minutes ago

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JanetAmos 10 minutes ago

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Tom 15 minutes ago

Brian O'Driscoll the latest name to back 'brilliant fit' Lions bolter

Ford is good enough to go on the Lions tour. There isn't a lot to choose between Farrell, Ford, Smith, Smith, Crowley, Prendergast, Russell. You can make arguments for any of them.

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JanetAmos 16 minutes ago

Former England star leads Benetton to huge URC result over Lions

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Ed the Duck 19 minutes ago

How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Just wrong on so many levels. I am asking YOU how YOU know the law is in dispute? YOU are the persona saying that it’s in dispute and on the agenda for the next WR meeting in May, how do YOU know this and when will YOU tell us who exactly is disputing the law to put it on the agenda?

Until you answer these basic questions, everything else is irrelevant and you’re just shooting in the dark…

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johnz 21 minutes ago

Commentator's reason for backing Billy Proctor-Barrett combination in the AB's

I just don’t see it happening, not before this WC is over. Unfortunately.

Gone are the days when players were picked mostly on form. The press like to romanticise about the good old days when that was true, and in fairness, so do we - the fans.

The fact remains; the ABs are more like a club team now, and Reiko is locked in with a big paying contract, has been heavily invested in at 13, so there he will remain.

Yes there is still some room for form, but taking the place of a senior player with a big juicy leadership group contract, and sabbatical clauses to keep him put until the WC, is probably not one of those opportunities.

Heck, they respect him so much, they award him with leading the haka, despite acting like a 13 year old in his spat with Sexton.

So we’ll just have to get used to blind on attack Reiko. In fairness, he’s been very solid on defence at international level, and that’s nothing to be scoffed at.

But I look forward to (or hope for) seeing Proctor, Faingaʻanuku, and others compete to replace him. Both players who recognise there are 3 blokes playing outside them.

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LauraBauer 23 minutes ago

Conor Murray: French giants weigh up shock move for Ireland star

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RedWarriors 24 minutes ago

How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Again, when there is a question over how the the law (the final draft, the fine print) is interpreted then the INTENTION of the law must be determined. Supreme courts tend to have final say in this for States. For Rugby Law it will be similar with the INTENTION deciding how the law applies. Calling standard law practice for centuries ‘ludicrous’ or ‘bleating’ without substantiation does nothing for your argument.

An official involved with the creation of the law has said that the intention of the law was 5-3 with no9, no10 and another back covered. It will be up to the Rugby Board in May to decide if the loophole Erasmus used is legitimate and not contrary to the intention of that law. Lets hope integrity prevails.

260 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 28 minutes ago

How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Wasn’t it Arnold Palmer that once said something along the lines of ‘the harder I work, the luckier i get’…???

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Mark 31 minutes ago

Exeter chairman entitled to ‘fire into everybody’ after humiliation

One wonders how long Rob baxter will be given by Rowe before he’s gets the Spanish fiddler!!

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charles Phoenix 37 minutes ago

Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

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FN 43 minutes ago

Leinster, Munster among 7 clubs chasing South African schools sensation

When it comes to player development, RSA has proven it’s credit. If we talking about chances that players get to represent the Boks that’s something else. Only few players had that opportunity from school boy knowing that they'll make it to represent the Boks (Pollard).

5 Go to comments

fl 52 minutes ago

Japan's proposed anti-diverse 'blood' eligibility law after foreign player influx

“WR are saying you’re not Japanese until you’ve had 5 years there and JRFU are saying you can be after 30 tests”

Yes I am aware of this. Most people will never play 30 tests, so for those that don’t the JRFU will define their nationality according to “blood”.

“The Drua are identical to Moana.”

And Fijian Drua are not the same as “Fiji”.

“Of course you can. You just can’t make it represent a whole country ala South Africa. I’m sure theres hundres of Scottish or Irish rep teams all over.”

Name literally one team that restricts selection to only white people. If any exist, I would say that that is bad, because I am not racist. But I don’t believe you’ll be able to name one.

“At least you got one thing right, a person can call themselves white if they want, or Maori, and be involved in any such like minded group. Just don’t be like the KKK and make it a racial group 😋”

Are you aware that ability to play for NZ Maori is determined according to racial heritage? And that the same will be true of players deemed “Japanese” under the new JRFU eligibility rules?

“While I’m sure you realise you’re wrong about about the picture you tried to paint (and probably new before posting) in your OP”

I’m not wrong. Racism is bad.

“I don’t have faith that you were able to corelate the two examples”

This doesn’t make sense. “Correlate” doesn’t mean what you seem to think it means. Its also not clear what examples you’re referring to; is it the JRFU and Moana? The JRFU and NZ Maori? The Maori and hypothetical whites only teams?

“Happy to keep replying until you do, again”

Again? When has this happened before?

30 Go to comments

Cantab 53 minutes ago

'I've got my eyes on it': James O'Connor eyes international return

JO'C should certainly be in the mix for the Wallabies . He has added some real class to the Crusaders backline and clearly the 2 young understudies he mentors have learned much from him. Many observers including myself had severe doubts about him initially but he has most emphatically answered those. Just shows that veterans still have much to offer.

2 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 55 minutes ago

Leinster, Munster among 7 clubs chasing South African schools sensation

If the lad has an Irish passport, that must mean he has heritage back to grandparents, I would assume. So he would be Irish qualified. Surely there will be a strong attempt to keep him in SA though ?

5 Go to comments

Cantab 1 hour ago

Commentator's reason for backing Billy Proctor-Barrett combination in the AB's

Early days yet to be deciding which players will occupy the AB midfield as there are several candidates. Proctor still needs a couple more games under his belt but him outside the 2 Barretts could make sense. Faainganuku and Tatananawai must also come under consideration ditto Havili & Ennor. ALB & RI to my mind are inferior to all of the aforementioned even though they have been tried in the past . Don’t envy Razor having to make some tough choices

7 Go to comments

Leeroy 1 hour ago

James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

hhfhf

38 Go to comments

PR 1 hour ago

Leinster, Munster among 7 clubs chasing South African schools sensation

Yeah no wonder the “source” isn't named because they are talking rubbish.

5 Go to comments

Andrew Nichols 1 hour ago

Commentator's reason for backing Billy Proctor-Barrett combination in the AB's

Proctor just gives them a different element out wide, he frees up the back three because he can play out on an edge as well.

ie He does what a centre is supposed to do…which demonstrably RI does not. Wont matter a damn though. Razor is besotted with RI. Blinkered selections are a feature of all AB teams.

7 Go to comments

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