AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP Worcester v Connacht: CONNACHT, AMLIN Challenge Cup Pool Two leaders and the only unbeaten team show two alterations for the match as new signing George Naoupu comes in at number eight for his debut while Ray Ofisa replaces the injured Johnny O'Connor at openside flanker.
Michael Bradley’s charges have won both their matches to date including a superb victory against Montpellier last time out.
The correlation in form terms is that the French side have already beaten Worcester at Sixways this season.
The Warriors, coached by former Leinster and Wales supremo Mike Ruddock, have Scotland centre Alex Grove back in the team for the first time since early November after impressing during the November tests against Fiji, Australia and Argentina.
Hooker Chris Fortey is handed a spot in the frontrow with Aleki Lutui. Matthew Jones is on the bench following a long spell on the sidelines with injury.
The home side is without Irish underage international prop, Callum Black, a first-team regular, who misses the game through injury.
It denied him a chance of an on-pitch reunion with Connacht hooker Sean Cronin: the two played national age grade rugby together.
“It is a tough competition, and we have made it a little bit more hard work for ourselves by losing to Montpellier,” admitted Ruddock.
“It is going to be tougher than it should have been at this stage. Connacht are the form team and the side to beat.
“They went to Montpellier and won, and they will be coming here targeting this competition and looking to build on an excellent victory in France.”
If Connacht can bring the Warriors back to Galway next week having secured a losing bonus point it wouldn’t be a bad return.
WORCESTER WARRIORS: C Latham, R Gear, A Grove, D Rasmussen, M Benjamin, W Walker, J Arr, A Black, C Fortey, T Taumoepeau, G Rawlinson, C Gillies, T Wood, P Sanderson (capt), K Horstmann Replacements: J Page, A Lutui, O Sourgens, K Kitchener, J Collins, O Frost, M Jones, C MacRae
CONNACHT: G Duffy, L Bibo, N Ta'auso, A Wynne, F Carr, I Keatley, F Murphy, B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris, M McCarthy, B Upton, J Muldoon (capt), R Ofisa, G Naoupu Replacements: D Murphy, R Loughney, J Hagan, M Swift, M McComish, C O'Loughlin, M Nikora, T Nathan
Referee: Jeromé Garces(France).
