Butler set for first Premiership start in season finale
Academy youngster Will Butler will make his first Aviva Premiership start when Warriors travel to Franklin’s Gardens to face Northampton Saints on Saturday in their final game of the season (kick-off 4pm).
Butler is one of three changes to the Warriors side as Perry Humphreys returns from a knee injury to make his first appearance since January while Anton Bresler steps in for Donncha O’Callaghan, who retired from professional rugby after last weekend’s 44-13 win over Harlequins.
Butler partners England star Ben Te’o in the centres while Francois Hougaard and Dorian Jones again start in the half-back combination.
Humphreys is joined by Chris Pennell and Josh Adams in the back three, with the latter chasing the Premiership’s top tryscorer gong, having already crossed 13 times this season and sitting level with Newcastle Falcons’ Vereniki Goneva.
In the pack, Ryan Bower prepares for his 87th Warriors appearance next to Jack Singleton and Nick Schonert in the front row, while Darren Barry is joined by Bresler in the second row.
Skipper GJ van Velze, Sam Lewis and Marco Mama form the back row while Andrew Kitchener and Tom Howe are recalled to the replacements.
A Warriors win could see them finish in ninth position, which would be their highest league position since the 2005/06 season – a campaign in which they finished in their all-time top-flight best of eighth.
Warriors are also five tries short of their Premiership record of 56, which they achieved in the 2016/17 season.
Warriors
15 Chris Pennell
14 Perry Humphreys
13 Ben Te’o
12 Will Butler
11 Josh Adams
10 Dorian Jones
9 Francois Hougaard
1 Ryan Bower
2 Jack Singleton
3 Nick Schonert
4 Anton Bresler
5 Darren Barry
6 Marco Mama
7 Sam Lewis
8 GJ van Velze (C)
Replacements
16 Joe Taufete’e
17 Ethan Waller
18 Gareth Milasinovich
19 Andrew Kitchener
20 David Denton
21 Jonny Arr
22 Jamie Shillcock
23 Tom Howe
| Competition: | Aviva Premiership Rugby |
| Venue: | Franklin's Gardens |
| Referee: | Luke Pearce |
| Game Type: | Away |
| Fixture Round: | 22 |
| Attendance: | 14,121 |
| No. | Name | T | C | D | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Ben Foden | 1T | |||
| 14 | George North | ||||
| 13 | Nafi Tuitavake | 1T | |||
| 12 | Piers Francis | ||||
| 11 | Tom Collins | 1T | |||
| 10 | James Grayson | 3C | 1P | ||
| 9 | Cobus Reinach | ||||
| 1 | Alex Waller | ||||
| 2 | Mikey Haywood | ||||
| 3 | Kieran Brookes | ||||
| 4 | Api Ratuniyarawa | ||||
| 5 | James Craig | ||||
| 6 | Jamie Gibson | ||||
| 7 | Teimana Harrison | ||||
| 8 | Mitch Eadie | 1T | |||
| Replacements | |||||
| 16 | Charlie Clare | ||||
| 17 | Campese Ma'afu | ||||
| 18 | Paul Hill | ||||
| 19 | David Ribbans | ||||
| 20 | Lewis Ludlam | ||||
| 21 | Alex Mitchell | ||||
| 22 | Stephen Myler | 1P | |||
| 23 | Ahsee Tuala | ||||
| No. | Name | T | C | D | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Chris Pennell | ||||
| 14 | Perry Humphreys | ||||
| 13 | Ben Te'o | 1T | |||
| 12 | Will Butler | 2T | |||
| 11 | Josh Adams | ||||
| 10 | Dorian Jones | 3C | 1P | ||
| 9 | Francois Hougaard | ||||
| 1 | Ryan Bower | ||||
| 2 | Jack Singleton | ||||
| 3 | Nick Schonert | ||||
| 4 | Anton Bresler | ||||
| 5 | Darren Barry | ||||
| 6 | Marco Mama | ||||
| 7 | Sam Lewis | ||||
| 8 | GJ van Velze | ||||
| Replacements | |||||
| 16 | Joe Taufete'e | ||||
| 17 | Ethan Waller | ||||
| 18 | Gareth Milasinovich | ||||
| 19 | Andrew Kitchener | ||||
| 20 | David Denton | ||||
| 21 | Jonny Arr | ||||
| 22 | Jamie Shillcock | ||||
| 23 | Tom Howe | ||||