Former England back-row forward Matt Kvesic will become the latest member of Warriors’ Century Club in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership match against Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road (kick-off 3.00pm).
Kvesic will become only the 32nd Warriors player in the professional era to reach the landmark of 100 appearances for the club. He will join his current team-mates Niall Annett, Graham Kitchener, Sam Lewis and Ethan Waller who have also reached the century mark in the past 11 months.
Kvesic, 29, has reached three figures in two spells with Warriors either side of stints with Gloucester Rugby and Exeter Chiefs.
He made his debut in an Anglo Welsh Cup match against Scarlets in November 2009 having joined the Academy at Sixways from Blundell’s School in Devon.
Kvesic will start at number eight against league leaders Leicester in a side that shows four changes and one positional to the one that faced Northampton Saints last week.
Jamie Shillcock returns at full-back having recovered from a hip injury with Billy Searle switching to fly-half in place of Fin Smith who took a knock to the end last week. Wales international fly-half Owen Williams, who came off the bench last week, has not been included in this week’s squad as his return from a torn hamstring is being managed.
Alex Hearle and Ethan Waller are recalled on the left wing and at loosehead prop respectively with Duhan van der Merwe and Rory Sutherland on Calcutta Cup duty with Scotland at Murrayfield.
Justin Clegg will partner Joe Batley in the second row to replace Andrew Kitchener, who also took a head knock last week.
Isaac Miller, Kai Owen, Tom Dodd, Tom Howe and Harri Doel all come in to the matchday squad as replacements.
Warriors | 15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Gareth Simpson, 1 Ethan Waller, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Joe Batley, 5 Justin Clegg, 6 Kyle Hatherell, 7 Ted Hill (C), 8 Matt Kvesic.
Replacements | 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Kai Owen, 18 Jay Tyack, 19 Tom Dodd, 20 Sione Vailanu, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Tom Howe, 23 Harri Doel.
Leicester Tigers | 15 Bryce Hegarty, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Guy Porter, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Hosea Saumaki, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 1 James Whitcombe, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Harry Wells, 5 Calum Green, 6 George Martin, 7 Hanro Liebenberg (C), 8 Jasper Wiese.
Replacements | 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Nephi Leatigaga, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Eli Snyman, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Olly Robinson, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 Matt Scott.