RICHARD de Carpentier will make his Aviva Premiership debut tomorrow when Worcester Warriors take on relegated London Welsh at the Kassam Stadium (2.30pm).
The number eight, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday, will line up alongside Sam Betty and Neil Best in the back row after impressing during this season’s LV= Cup.
De Carpentier is one of three changes to the team which lost at home to Harlequins last time out as Andy Short and Betty are recalled to the side.
Short will start at inside-centre for his final game for Warriors before he moves to Bristol at the end of the season, while Betty starts his first match since February.
Ben Howard retains his place on the wing after an encouraging full Premiership debut two weekends ago.
The clash will also see Andy Goode and Matt Mullan making their final starts for the club before they leave at the end of the season.
Academy wing Max Stelling is named as a replacement and will make his Aviva Premiership debut if he comes on.
Dean Schofield and Paul Hodgson are also recalled to the bench as Warriors aim to pick-up their first away league win this season.
Warriors assistant head coach Nigel Redman said: “There’s quite a bit riding on this game for us and it would be great - for the players more than anyone - to end the season with a win.
“I’m a big believer in young English talent and this week we’ve picked a couple more as Richard de Carpentier and Max Stelling are involved.
“We’ve got an academy that has produced some good players and it’s important we give them an opportunity to play in Worcester colours.
“For some players it’s an opportunity to impress the new director of rugby coming in and for others it will be their last game. They are motivating factors.
“London Welsh are coached by a very competitive person in Lyn Jones and I think they’ve got a lot of pride. They’re a wounded animal who would love to finish on a high. But we want to finish on a high so it will be a competitive game.”
Warriors: Pennell; Drauniniu, Short, Grove, Howard; Goode, Arr; Mullan, Shervington, Murray, Percival (c), Chris Jones, Best, Betty, de Carpentier. Replacements: Lutui, O’Donnell,n Andress, Schofield, Abbott, Hodgson, Gray, Stelling.
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