Premiership | London Irish vs Worcester line ups & preview

Twickenham Stoop will play host to the London Irish vs Worcester match-up in the third game of the round.

Exiles are currently just two points ahead of Worcester on the standings with both teams lurking in the bottom half of the table.

Exiles would do well to keep a rein on their discipline this time around as the referee reached for his pocket on two occasions last time they met, in Round 7, issuing one yellow card and, minutes later, one red card, for brutal challenges on Worcester players.

These lapses in judgement put Exiles on the back foot while simultaneously placing Worcester firmly on the front foot, allowing them to ultimately take home the victory, 20-6.

Both Exiles and Worcester managed to post 15 points in Round 19 and both came out on the losing side, against Harlequins and Bath respectively.

With the semi-finals looming and little-to-no chance of either side being involved, playing for pride will be the order of the day.

Team News

London Irish

Harry Elrington and Lovejoy Chawatama join Argentina international Agustin Creevy in the front row, with George Nott and Sebastian de Chaves combining in the second row.

Matt Rogerson captains the side from blindside flanker and is joined in the backrow by Isaac Curtis-Harris and Albert Tuisue, the latter starting in the number 8 jersey.

Nick Phipps and Paddy Jackson start at scrum-half and fly-half respectively, and Terrence Hepetema forms the centre partnership with Matt Williams.

James Stokes is named on one wing, with Ben Loader returning to the starting XV on the other. Tom Homer completes the line-up from full-back.

Worcester Warriors

Warriors have named a completely changed side for Sunday’s Premiership match against London Irish at The Stoop.

Fourteen of the side started against Bristol Bears at Sixways last Friday with the only change being in the centre where Wales international Ashley Beck comes into the side to form a new pairing with Francois Venter.

Ollie Lawrence, who started against Bristol and played the full 80 minutes at Bath on Wednesday, is named among the replacements.

Tom Dodd, who impressed at number eight at Bath, is also named on the bench along with fellow back-row forward Sam Lewis.

Ted Hill, an unused replacement at Bath, will again captain the side in the absence of injured Team Captain Matt Moulds.

Loosehead prop Callum Black is closing in on a century of appearances and will make his 98th appearance if he comes off the bench against the Exiles at their temporary home.

Centre Will Butler and full-back Chris Pennell miss out having suffered an ankle and head injury respectively in the first half at Bath. Lock Andrew Kitchener is suspended.

LineUps