HEAD coach Carl Hogg is urging experienced Worcester Warriors wing Tom Biggs “to grasp” his opportunity in tomorrow’s European Challenge Cup clash against Gloucester (7.45pm).

The 31-year-old has been named in Warriors’ starting line-up for the group match against the defending champions.

Biggs has not appeared in the Aviva Premiership since suffering a bang on the head in the second-half of Warriors’ narrow 24-22 defeat at Gloucester at the end of October.

Biggs started Warriors’ first three Premiership matches and played in the cup against both La Rochelle and Zebre.

However, the former Bath star has been on the sidelines with Cooper Vuna and Bryce Heem as preferred wing options for Warriors.

Biggs scored 14 tries in 24 appearances last season for Warriors as they clinched promotion back to the top flight.

Hogg explained: “We’ve got healthy competition like Cooper Vuna and Bryce Heem, Tom Biggs and people like Sam Smith, who is currently injured, and that’s the depth of talent and competition we want to create – not just across the wings but in every position.

“Once you’ve got that level of competition you have got a really healthy rugby club and that’s what we are trying to promote and grow right across the group.

“Tom will get an opportunity on Thursday and he has to grasp it. People will get opportunities and they will have to deliver and perform.”

Academy prop Gareth Milasinovich also starts against the Cherry and Whites after a tough start after coming on as a replacement in Saturday’s 29-20 Premiership defeat against Leicester Tigers.

The prop, who is English-qualified, can play on either side of the front-row and was sinbinned within moments of his introduction against Tigers after a scrum collapsed.

Hogg said: “It’s a huge baptism of fire coming in as a young player against Leicester with reduced numbers and having to sit on your goal-line but that will only benefit Gareth in the long term.

“We lost Nick Schonert to an injury the previous weekend at Twickenham and I think Joe Rees performed pretty well for 30 to 40 minutes before Gareth got thrown into the fire.

“He was on our goal-line and under pressure but his profile at the scrum showed he did extremely well for a young man.

“With losing Nick and with Joe injured for a couple of weeks it gives a chance for Gareth go to go back out again and Mikey Daniels to come on to the bench.

“If somebody performs well there is no hierarchy and no ranking system so the opportunity is there for players.

"There will be three or four windows across the season and individuals have to grasp their chances.”