Moseley v Worcester: Warriors boss Dean Ryan makes changes
- Published
Fit-again Worcester Warriors full-back Chris Pennell is still in England coach Stuart Lancaster's thoughts
Worcester Warriors boss Dean Ryan has again rung the changes as his side chase a 17th straight victory in Saturday's Midlands derby at Moseley.
Ryan Mills starts at fly-half for the first time as the Warriors aim for an 11th Championship win in a row.
Top try scorer Sam Smith returns on the wing, while Ryan Bower and Gus Creevy are back in the front row.
Worcester will be meeting Moseley for the fourth time this season, having already beaten them three times.
Dean Ryan's high-flying Warriors |
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Since losing in the last minute at Bristol on the opening weekend of the season, Dean Ryan's Warriors have now won 10 straight Championship matches - nine of which have been bonus point victories. |
Dean Ryan's remain just two points behind unbeaten leaders Bristol, having also qualified for the British & Irish Cup quarter-finals - they play Pontypridd next weekend - with six wins out of six in their qualifying group. |
The first of those was in the Championship at Sixways in September when the Warriors won 23-7, and they have since done the double in the British & Irish Cup, winning 39-0 at Billesley Common before getting home 31-12 in the return.
The Birmingham side go into the game after two narrow defeats since the turn of the year, 23-15 at home to Bedford, then 19-18 last Saturday in a game of two penalty tries at Plymouth Albion.
Mose coach Kevin Maggs has also made a few changes, bringing back Mike Powell at lock, while Neil Mason and Joe Carpenter start in the back row
In the backs, Northampton Saints loan man Tom Collins makes his debut on the wing alongside a new centre partnership of Will Hooley and Greg King.
Worcester director of rugby Dean Ryan:
"We saw what the backline is capable of last weekend. We've got a lot of pace and there are a lot of guys now who are really sharp at handling and, if we get the right delivery of ball, they can show how dangerous they can be.
"We've seen an indicator of what we're capable of and therefore I'd strive to be there more often. One of the challenges of the Championship is getting things right week to week.
"I've been really pleased with the senior players that are driving things forward. We're at the stage now where I want to see that level of performance have more consistency."
Moseley: Carter; Cheshire, King, Hooley, Collins; Olver, Brown; Hobbs-Awoyemi, Marshall, Gardiner, Dacres, Powell, Mason, Carpenter, Brightwell.
Replacements: Voisey, Lea, Hone, Thomas, Siggery, Day, Armstrong.
Warriors: Pennell; Smith, Stelling, Symons, Biggs; Mills, Arr; Bower, Creevy, Schonert, Williams, O'Shea, Thomas (capt), Betty, Senatore.
Replacements: George, Rapava Ruskin, Rees, de Carpentier, Mulchrone, Lamb, Howard.
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