Worcester v Rovigo - Amlin Challenge Cup preview

David Lemi: Returns on the wing for Worcester

Richard Hill: Rings the changes for Saturday's match with Rovigo at Sixways

Worcester coach Richard Hill has made eight changes for Saturday's Amlin Challenge Cup match with Italian side Rovigo.

The Warriors hammered minnows Bizkaia Gernika 85-5 in Spain last week, and Hill has freshened up his side for the Pool 2 Sixways clash.

Errie Claassens will make his first start of the season at full-back with Chris Pennell given a breather, and Fiji international Ravai Fatiaki starts in midfield alongside Jon Clarke, Josh Matavesi dropping to the bench.

David Lemi returns on the left wing, with Andy Short - who played there last week - replacing Ben Howard on the other flank - and Paul Hodgson makes way for Jonny Arr at scrum-half.

Up front Ed Shervington is handed a first start of the campaign and Dean Schofield skippers the side in the second row with Chris Jones dropping out.

In the back-row there are recalls for Sam Betty and fit-again No 8 Semisi Taulava, with Matt Kvesic shifted from blindside to openside.

Worcester: 15 Errie Claassens, 14 Andy Short, 13 Jon Clarke, 12 Ravai Fatiaki, 11 David Lemi, 10. Joe Carlisle, 9 Jonny Arr, 1 Ceri Jones, 2 Edward Shervington, 3 James Currie, 4 Dean Schofield, 5 Craig Gillies, 6 Sam Betty, 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Semisi Taulava.
Replacements: 16 Aleki Lutui, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 John Andress, 19 James Percival, 20 Blair Cowan, 21 Paul Hodgson, 22 Andy Goode, 23 Josh Matavesi

Rovigo: 15 Stefan Basson, 14 Lorenzo Lubian, 13 Roberto Pedrazzi, 12 Rhys Lenarduzzi, 11 Andrea Bacchetti, 10 Mickey Wilson, 9 Guido Calabrese, 1 Otis Lombardi, 2 Nicola Gatto, 3 Alessio Ceglie, 4 Daniele Tumiati, 5 Jean-François Montauriol, 6 Aaron Persico, 7 Jack Jones, 8 Matteo Ferro.
Replacements: 16 Younes Anouer, 17 Corrado Gaeta, 18 Nicola Quaglio, 19 Gabriele Pierini, 20 Alberto Zorzi, 21 Davide Duca, 22 Francesco Menon, 23 Matteo Maran

What they said...

Worcester boss Richard Hill

"We've seen footage of Rovigo and a lot of Italian teams are very strong up front and very robust.

"We can't go on to the field and suddenly throw the ball around and expect to score loads of tries from the word go. You have to do a job of softening them up because they will be very lively."

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