Premiership: Worcester handed Duhan van der Merwe boost for Bristol clash

Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe will return from international duty for Warriors in Friday’s Premiership match against Bristol Bears at Sixways.

Van der Merwe has started for Scotland in their first two Six Nations matches against England and Wales and returns to club duty as one of four changes to the side that faced Sale Sharks last Saturday.

The entire Worcester back-row has been altered as Sam Lewis (dead leg), Kyle Hatherell (shoulder) and Tom Dodd (knee) were injured at Sale. Captain Ted Hill also finished the Sale match with a sore back and he misses out against Bristol.

Joe Batley, Matt Kvesic and Sione Vailanu form a new back-row combination with Wales international centre Ashley Beck captaining the side.

Loosehead prop Rory Sutherland, who was scheduled to be available for this match, misses out as he suffered rib and shoulder injuries playing for Scotland against Wales in Cardiff last Saturday.

Ethan Waller returns to the squad as replacement prop having recovered from injury.

Friday’s match will be preceded by a minute’s applause as a tribute to Evesham wing Jack Jeffery, who died from injuries he sustained scoring a try against Berkswell & Balsall last weekend.

Callum Sheedy back for Bristol

Meanwhile, Callum Sheedy returns to the starting line-up when Bristol travel to Sixways on Friday.

The Welsh international is back in the side having been released to the club during the Six Nations fallow week.

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam makes six changes from the side that slipped to defeat against London Irish, as Theo Strang makes his first Premiership start with Andy Uren, Harry Randall and Tom Whiteley unavailable, while Bristolian academy graduate Jack Bates is included in the backline.

In the pack, Jake Kerr and Ed Holmes come into the tight five, while Dan Thomas is named in the back-row.

Toby Venner – who arrived on a short-term agreement from Gloucester – is listed among the replacements and could make his debut for the Bears if called upon.

Form: Worcester Warriors have lost their last five Premiership Rugby matches since beating Wasps 32-31 at Sixways on December 4. The Warriors record at Sixways in Premiership Rugby this season is won three, lost three. Bristol Bears’ four-game winning run in all competitions ended with their 49-32 home defeat to London Irish last Friday. The Bears have won just once away from home in Premiership Rugby this season 45-33 at London Irish on 30 October. Bristol have won their last five matches against Worcester since the Warriors’ 27-25 victory in Premiership Rugby at Ashton Gate in March 2019.

The teams:

Worcester: 15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Ashley Beck (c), 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Gareth Simpson, 8 Sione Vailanu, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Joe Batley, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Matt Garvey, 3 Christian Judge, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Murray McCallum
Replacements: 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Jay Tyack, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Justin Clegg, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Seb Atkinson

Bristol: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Jack Bates, 13 Semi Radradra, 12 Piers O’Conor, 11 Alapati Leiua, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Theo Strang, 8 Fitz Harding, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Steven Luatua (c), 5 Chris Vui, 4 Ed Holmes, 3 Max Lahiff, 2 Jake Kerr, 1 Yann Thomas
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Ashley Challenger, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Sam Jeffries, 21 Toby Venner, 22 Antoine Frisch, 23 Henry Purdy

Venue: Sixways
Kick-off: 20:15 GMT
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe, Jamie Leahy
TMO: Stuart Terheege

READ MORE: Harlequins coaching trio sign contract extensions