WORCESTER Rugby Club have shuffled their pack in a bid to play the ace card at Otley.

Sixways coaches John Brain and Andy Keast make five changes to the side which beat Orrell 35-10 as they go in search of their third consecutive National One victory on Saturday.

Locks Craig Gillies and Dan Zaltzman come in for Martin Morgan and Mark Gabey, while Jim Jenner and Gavin Pfister also drop out.

Gabey moves to the back row and Richard Nias makes his first start of the season at openside.

Fellow flanker Richard Bates is also included in the 22 for the first time after recovering from a shoulder operation. The only change in the backs, sees speed king Nnamdi Ezulike return in place of Craig Hudson at right wing.

The changes will come as a surprise to many after such a fine win, but Brain revealed that there were many areas which needed to be tightened up.

"We had a close look at the Orrell game and it was a pleasing result," he said. "However, the changes are really based on performance. We want to take the opportunity to look at alternatives in those positions.

"The players who have been left out have accepted the decisions and are willing to fight for their places -- that's what competition is all about.

"This pack now has a massive opportunity to stake claims for the Exeter game next week. I'd like to think that the players are very hungry."

"It's finding a balance," added Keast. "We have some hungry players and we want to give them an opportunity at Otley. We've put Nnamdi in there because we feel that there will be a bit of space down the flanks and he's the quickest player we've got.

"They are a big side, don't get beaten too often at home and they have the capability of upsetting the more fancied sides in the division."

Brain was delighted to have Bates in the squad and is looking to the South African hardman to make a big difference to the Worcester pack.

"If we are going to win this league, we've got to develop more of a physical presence on the pitch and Richard very much fits into that," said Brain.

Worcester: Roke; Ezulike, Officer, Hinshelwood, Garrard; Chalmers, Swanepoel; Win-do, Pearson, Olver, Zaltzman, Gillies, Gabey, Nias, Evans. Replacements: O'Reilly, Trueman, Higgins, Hall, Davis, Bates, Pfister.