24 - 20HT 14 - 14

Stade du Hameau
Att TBC
Sat 12 Dec 20, 9:00pm

Team news | Thomas to make debut in Pau

Marc Thomas will make his Warriors debut in Saturday’s European Rugby Challenge Cup opener against Pau at the Stade du Hameau (kick-off 8.00pm GMT).

The experienced loosehead prop arrived at Sixways last month having started the 2019/20 season with Doncaster Knights and ended it at Harlequins.

Thomas will start at Pau and is one of 14 changes to the side that faced Bath Rugby in the Gallagher Premiership last Saturday.

Joe Batley, who started at lock against Bath, switches to the blindside flank alongside Sam Lewis, who will make his seasonal debut having recovered from a dead leg, and number eight Morgan Monks who will also make his first start having impressed off the bench against Bath.

Former Harlequins lock George Merrick will also make his first start and will be in familiar territory as he spent last season playing for Clermont Auvergne in France’s Top14 competition.

Merrick will form a new second row pairing with Justin Clegg who is another making his seasonal debut along with wings Alex Hearle and Ed Fidow – who previously played in France for Provence – full-back Chris Pennell and centre Will Butler.

Pennell and Butler have been named as co-captains with Butler returning to action three months after sustaining an ankle injury at Bath.

Butler is one of seven players in the squad who played Warriors’ only previous visit to Pau in December 2018.

The replacements include tighthead prop Kieran Verden who is in line to make his debut having been signed from Bath on a short-term loan deal to cover injuries to Nick Schonert, Richard Palframan and Joe Morris.

Supporters can watch the game on Saturday night for €3.99 on epcrugby.tv, for more information click here.

Warriors | 15 Chris Pennell (CC), 14 Alex Hearle, 13 Ashley Beck, 12 Will Butler (CC), 11 Ed Fidow
10 Jamie Shillcock, 9 Gareth Simpson, 1 Marc Thomas, 2 Beck Cutting, 3 Conor Carey, 4 George Merrick, 5 Justin Clegg, 6 Joe Batley, 7 Sam Lewis, 8 Morgan Monks.

Replacements | 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Kai Owen, 18 Kieran Verden, 19 James Scott, 20 Caleb Montgomery, 21 Matti Williams, 22 Jono Kitto, 23 Scott van Breda.

Unavailable due to injury | Matt Cox,  Tom Dodd,  Noah Heward, Lewis Holsey, Tom Howe, Graham Kitchener, Matt Kvesic, Marco Mama, Joe Morris, Matt Moulds, Richard Palframan, Nick Schonert, GJ van Velze.

Pau | 15 Charly Malie, 14 Eoghan Barrett, 13 Julien Fumat (C), 12 Florian Nicot, 11 Watisoni Votu, 10 Thibault Debaes, 9 Samuel Marques, 1 Geoffrey Moise, 2 Lucas Rey , 3 Nicolas Corato, 4 Denis Marchois, 5 Daniel Ramsay, 6 Antoine Erbani, 7 Lekima Tagitagivalu, 8 Matthieu Ugena.

Replacements | 16 Rayne Barka, 17 Omar Odishvili, 18 Malik Hamadache, 19 Julien Delannoy, 20 Hubert Texier, 21 Clovis Lebail , 22 Mike Harris, 23 Baptiste Couchinave.

Competition: Challenge Cup
Venue: Stade du Hameau
Referee: Andrea Piardi
Game Type: Away
Fixture Round: 1
Attendance:
No. Name T C D P
15 Charly Malie
14 Eoghan Barrett 1T
13 Julien Fumat
12 Florian Nicot
11 Watisoni Votu
10 Thibault Debaes
9 Samuel Marques 2C 1P
1 Geoffrey Moise
2 Lucas Rey
3 Nicolas Corato 1T
4 Denis Marchois
5 Daniel Ramsay
6 Antoine Erbani 1T
7 Lekima Tagitagivalu
8 Mathieu Ugena
Replacements
16 Rayne Barka
17 Omar Odishvili
18 Malik Hamadache
19 Julien Delannoy
20 Hubert Texier
21 Clovis le Bail 1C
22 Mike Harris
23 Baptiste Couchinave

SIGN UP TO THE WARRIORS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER