WORCESTER Warriors have made a handful of changes for the home Premiership visit of Wasps this Sunday (kick-off 1pm), with Jamie Shillcock making his first league appearance of the season.

The fly-half is one of two changes to the backline from the team that lost 41-24 to Leicester Tigers last weekend as Oli Morris drops to the bench to be replaced by Francois Venter who makes his first start in two months after illness.

In the pack, Worcester have made four changes, with a couple enforced as Marco Mama and Niall Annett are given a rest weekend due to player welfare reasons, replaced by the returning Ted Hill and Isaac Miller.

Ethan Waller started on the bench against Tigers but is in from the start for Marc Thomas this Sunday with Justin Clegg also recalled to the starting 15 after coming on as a substitute at Welford Road.

Former captain GJ van Velze is in line to make his first appearance of the season off the bench having recovered from the serious shoulder injury he sustained at Exeter in late August and lock Andrew Kitchener is fit again after his an elbow injury and is also on the bench.

Most noticeably, 18-year-old fly-half Fin Smith could make his Worcester debut if he gets onto the field after being named at number 22.

If Smith does get on he will become only the second 18-year-old to play for Warriors in the Premiership. Lock Graham Kitchener, who will start on Sunday, was 18 years and 195 days old when he made his debut against Wasps in April 2008. Jonny Arr was only 18 years and 129 days old when he was named as a replacement against Bristol in 2007 but he was not used.

Smith, who will be 18 years and 279 days old Sunday, impressed playing for Warriors Under-18s last season before joining the Three Pears Academy during the summer and has since been included in this season’s England Under-20s Elite Player Squad.

Chris Ashton is still not deemed ready for action as he continues to wait for his first appearance.

Warriors | 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Nick David, 10 Jamie Shillcock, 9 Gareth Simpson, 1 Ethan Waller, 2 Isaac Miller, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Graham Kitchener, 5 Justin Clegg, 6 Ted Hill (C), 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Cornell du Preez.

Replacements | 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Marc Thomas, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 GJ van Velze, 21 Michael Heaney, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Oli Morris.

Unavailable | Anton Bresler, Conor Carey, Matt Cox, Tom Dodd, Noah Heward, Lewis Holsey, Francois Hougaard, Sam Lewis, Matt Moulds, Melani Nanai, Billy Searle, Duncan Weir, Matti Williams. International duty | Ollie Lawrence.