WARRIORS will be without first-choice fly-half Andy Goode for Sunday’s Aviva Premiership battle with league-leaders Saracens on the plastic pitch at Allianz Park (3pm).

The Wasps-bound number 10 rolled his ankle in training this week and will be replaced in the starting XV by Danny Gray, with Joe Carlisle stepping up to the bench.

The fly-half, who kicked nine points against Bath on his last start for the club in February, is one of two changes to the side which crashed to another last-gasp defeat against Exeter Chiefs two weekends ago.

Tighthead prop John Andress also comes into the side in place of Euan Murray, who misses the game due to his religious beliefs.

Prop Rob O’Donnell, flanker Jake Abbott and scrum-half Paul Hodgson are also recalled to the bench for Sunday’s match as Warriors go in search of their long-awaited first away win since New Year’s Day 2012.

Head coach Richard Hill said: “Andy rolled his ankle in training this week and wasn’t able to take part in our defence session, so I had to make the decision to leave him out this weekend.

“Danny deserves his chance as he has done extremely well when he has come of the bench this season and I have full faith in him.”

Hill added: “I was pretty happy with the way the team played against Exeter by and large and I think keeping that continuity is important.

“I watched Leicester and Harlequins play Exeter and we made more line-breaks than both of those teams put together, so it does show that we’re moving in the right direction.

“It’s a good challenge against Saracens and we’re going to go down there and play as much rugby as we can. On their new pitch it will be a very exciting all-action game and the ball will be in play for a lot of the time.

“Looking back at the season I think we’ve made a lot of progress in terms of changing the playing style. These final three games offer big challenges for us but it’s an opportunity for our players to go out and show what they can do.”

Warriors defeated Saracens 12-3 when the two sides met in the corresponding Premiership fixture at Sixways last November.

Warriors: Pennell; Drauniniu, Grove, Matavesi, Lemi; Gray, Arr; Mullan, Shervington, Andress, Percival, Chris Jones, Best, Kvesic, Taulava. Replacements: Lutui, Jones, O’Donnell, Schofield, Abbott, Hodgson, Carlisle, Clarke.