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Wed 27 Mar 24

Team News | Seven summer recruits in squad for season opener

Warriors have included seven summer signings in the matchday squad for the Gallagher Premiership opener against London Irish at Sixways on Saturday (kick-off 3.00pm).

England international scrum-half Willi Heinz and Wales fly-half Owen Williams will renew a half-back partnership that was last seen in the Premiership with Gloucester Rugby two seasons ago.

Heinz has made the short move up the M5 to Sixways while Williams has travelled further, joining Warriors from Japanese side Red Hurricanes.

Wales hooker Scott Baldwin will also start having joined Warriors from Premiership champions Harlequins and he will pack down alongside tighthead prop Christian Judge, a summer recruit from Bath Rugby.

Experienced scrum-half Will Chudley, who has also joined from Bath, former Gloucester, Bath and London Irish lock Matt Garvey and tighthead prop Jack Owlett are all in line to make their competitive debuts for Warriors off the bench having featured in at least one of the pre-season friendlies against Connacht, Glasgow Warriors and Cornish Pirates.

Kyle Hatherell, who joined Warriors from Championship club Jersey Reds before the end of last season, will form a new second row pairing with Justin Clegg.

British and Irish Lions and Scotland international pair Rory Sutherland and Duhan van der Merwe were not considered for selection as they only arrived at Sixways this week following their summer break.

But centre Ollie Lawrence and blindside flanker Ted Hill who played in England’s summer internationals both start.

Hill, who was re-appointed Warriors Club Captain earlier this week, will be co-captain against London Irish along with Heinz, a former Gloucester captain.

Warriors | 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Noah Heward, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Perry Humphreys, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Willi Heinz (CC), 1 Ethan Waller, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Kyle Hatherell, 5 Justin Clegg, 6 Ted Hill (CC), 7 Sam Lewis, 8 Matt Kvesic.

Replacements | 16 Niall Annett, 17 Mark Thomas, 18 Jack Owlett, 19 Matt Garvey, 20 Graham Kitchener, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Oli Morris.

Unavailable owing to injury | Chris Ashton, Ashley Beck, Anton Bresler, Beck Cutting, Tom Dodd, Lewis Holsey, Andrew Kitchener, Sione Vailanu.

London Irish | 15 Tom Parton, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Benhard van Rensburg, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ben White, 1 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 2 Agustin Creevy, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 4 Rob Simmons, 5 Adam Coleman, 6 Matt Rogerson (C), 7 Ben Donnell, 8 Albert Tuisue.

Replacements | 16 Matt Cornish, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 George Nott, 20 Seán O’Brien, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan, 22 Matt Williams, 23 James Stokes.

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