HOOKER Niall Annett and back row Phil Dowson are recalled for Worcester Warriors’ Aviva Premiership trip to Northampton Saints tomorrow (3pm).
Annett will make his first appearance for second-from-bottom Warriors since picking up an injury in the return fixture against Saints in November.
Dowson comes in for Chris Vui who picked up a knock in training.
Dowson announced this week he will be returning to Franklin’s Gardens in the summer in a coaching capacity.
The experienced campaigner is set for his 260th Premiership appearance.
Sam Lewis is also recalled to Worcester's side, replacing Alafoti Fa’osiliva who misses out because of a knee problem.
Worcester's backline remains unchanged for a third week running.
Fit-again full-back Chris Pennell is handed a place on the bench and could make his first appearance in almost two months.
“It doesn’t get any easier,” admitted Warriors director of rugby Gary Gold.
“It’s against a team who are going to be smarting after last weekend’s loss at Newcastle Falcons and will no doubt be wanting to put up a good performance.
“Northampton are a good team and well coached.
“They are a pretty difficult team to play at home but it’s another challenge for us.
“We must get excited about the next opportunity but we must understand we are under a lot of pressure and we have to keep improving.”
Saints were thumped 46-31 at Newcastle Falcons last Sunday and Gold believes Northampton will have viewed it “as a bit of a banana skin”.
“I think they will probably have seen that as a bit of a banana skin, a slip-up away from home and maybe a lack of concentration,” said Gold.
“But I think you must not take anything away from Newcastle.
"It was an outstanding performance from Newcastle.
"Sinoti Sinoti was outstanding and I think the Newcastle forwards put in a really hard shift.”
For Northampton, Michael Paterson returns to the second row with Sam Dickinson and James Wilson joining the replacements’ bench.
Saturday’s game will be preceded by a minute’s silence to remember former Saint Dan Vickerman, who died last weekend, aged 37.
Warriors
15 Josh Adams
14 Bryce Heem
13 Wynand Olivier
12 Jackson Willison
11 Perry Humphreys
10 Ryan Mills
9 Francois Hougaard
1 Ryan Bower
2 Niall Annett
3 Nick Schonert
4 Donncha O’Callaghan (captain)
5 Will Spencer
6 Phil Dowson
7 Sam Lewis
8 Dewald Potgieter
Replacements
16 Jaba Bregvadze
17 Na’ama Leleimalefaga
18 Biyi Alo
19 Tevita Cavuabti
20 Marco Mama
21 Luke Baldwin
22 Ryan Lamb
23 Chris Pennell
Northampton Saints
15 Ahsee Tuala
14 Ken Pisi
13 Nafi Tuitavake
12 Harry Mallinder
11 Ben Foden (captain)
10 Stephen Myler
9 Nic Groom
1 Alex Waller
2 Mikey Haywood
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Michael Paterson
5 Christian Day
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Calum Clark
8 Teimana Harrison
Replacements
16 Charlie Clare
17 Ethan Waller
18 Paul Hill
19 Api Ratuniyarawa
20 Sam Dickinson
21 Lee Dickson
22 James Wilson
23 Juan Pablo Estelles
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