Olivier to start in farewell match

Warriors have named six of their departing players in their matchday squad for the Gallagher Premiership finale against Saracens at Sixways on Saturday (kick-off 4.00pm).

Wales’ Grand Slam-winning wing Josh Adams, who will join Cardiff Blues next season, England centre Ben Te’o and former South Africa centre Wynand Olivier will all start against the European champions.

Adams need one try in his final match to become Warriors all-time leading try-scorer in the Premiership. Adams is currently level on 25 tries with fellow wing Bryce Heem but Heem, who is also leaving Warriors, will miss the Saracens match through suspension.

Olivier, a World Cup winner in 2007, will make his first Premiership appearance of the season and his last in all rugby having announced that he will retire after Saturday’s match. Olivier is to return to South Africa to take up an opportunity in a non-rugby-related business.

Hooker Jack Singleton, who has signed for Saracens for next season, Ulster-bound tighthead prop Gareth Milasinovich and long-serving scrum-half Jonny Arr have all been named among the replacements.

Arr has made 217 first team appearances for Warriors and has played all his rugby in a Worcester shirt having first played for the club’s under-7s team 23 years ago. Arr has yet to announce his future plans.

Warriors have made three changes to the side that started at Northampton two weeks ago. Olivier replaces fellow Springbok Francois Venter, Michael Fatialofa starts in the second row in place of Darren Barry, who is joining Newcastle Falcons, and Ted Hill starts at blindside flanker with Cornell du Preez switching to openside.

Three of the four players who suffered head injuries at Northampton – Perry Humphreys, Nick Schonert and Milasinovich – have all passed Head Injury Assessments.

Fly-half Jamie Shillcock has been named among the replacements and is set to make his first appearance since he suffered an ankle injury in the European Challenge Cup match in Pau in December.

After Saturday’s match every member of Warriors’ squad, including the 17 departing players, will do a lap of honour of the Sixways pitch.

Warriors
15 Chris Pennell
14 Perry Humphreys
13 Wynand Olivier
12 Ben Te’o
11 Josh Adams
10 Duncan Weir
9 Francois Hougaard
1 Ethan Waller
2 Niall Annett
3 Nick Schonert
4 Anton Bresler
5 Michael Fatialofa
6 Ted Hill
7 Cornell du Preez
8 GJ van Velze (C)

Replacements
16 Jack Singleton
17 Callum Black
18 Gareth Milasinovich
19 Andrew Kitchener
20 Sam Lewis
21 Jonny Arr
22 Jamie Shillcock
23 Tom Howe

Saracens | 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 David Strettle, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Tom Whiteley. 1 Juan Figallo, 2 Joe Gray, 3 Christian Judge,
4 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Dom Day, 6 Calum Clark (C), 7 Schalk Burger, 8 Ben Earl.

Replacements | 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Billy Walker, 19 Joel Kpoku, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Henry Taylor, 22 Tom Griffiths, 23 Rotimi Segun

 

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