Worcester v Brive: Teams
Worcester line up with Rico Gear at full-back for the European Challenge Cup clash with in-form Brive.
Last Updated: 11/04/09 12:43pm
Worcester line up with Rico Gear at full-back for the visit of Brive, who are on the crest of a wave both in France and in Europe.
Heineken Cup qualification is well within reach of Brive on both fronts, while the Challenge Cup remains Worcester's only hope.
The home side have struggled domestically recently, their cause not helped by a catalogue of injuries which coach Mike Ruddock has described as 'extraordinary'.
Promising young centre Alex Grove is in the team but the tight five looks a little light with lesser-known players Will Bowley at lock and Callum Black at loosehead prop.
Brive boast a number of non-Frenchmen who will be well acquainted with the Worcester side.
Former Scarlets full-back Barry Davies is one, as well as ex-Saracens centre Ben Johnstone, former Scarlets number eight Alix Popham and lock Damien Browne, who enjoyed a spell at Northampton.
The visitors will also include two England internationals in their starting XV - Sale-bound Ben Cohen starts on the wing and Andy Goode, formerly of Leicester, will be wearing the number 10 shirt.
On the opposite wing to Cohen is French international Alexis Palisson, while the contest between Georgian loosehead Davit Kinchagishvili and the Warriors' Darren Morris ought to be fun to watch.
Worcester: 15 Rico Gear, 14 Marcel Garvey, 13 Alex Grove, 12 Dale Rasmussen, 11 Miles Benjamin, 10 Matthew Jones, 9 Ryan Powell, 8 Kai Horstmann, 7 Pat Sanderson (c), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Will Bowley, 4 Greg Rawlinson, 3 Darren Morris, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 Shaun Ruwers, 17 Chris Fortey, 18 Kitch Kitchener, 19 Netani Talei, 20 Jonny Arr, 21 Joe Carlisle, 22 Loki Crichton.
Brive: 15 Barry Davies, 14 Alexis Palisson, 13 Ronnie Cooke, 12 Ben Johnston, 11 Ben Cohen, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Jean-Baptiste Pejoine, 8 Alix Popham, 7 Vincent Forgues, 6 Alex Manta, 5 Damien Browne, 4 Johan van Zyl (capt), 3 Pascal Idieder, 2 Jean-Philippe Bonrepaux, 1 Davit Kinchagishvili.
Replacements: 16 Steve Thompson, 17 Pierre Capdevielle, 18 Christian Short, 19 Gerhard Vosloo, 20 Arnaud Pic, 21 Guillaume Namy, 22 Suka Hufanga.