Shields captains Wasps in his 50th appearance
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Lee Blackett has named his Wasps side to host Worcester Warriors at Ricoh Arena in Premiership Round 19 on Saturday.
There are four changes to the starting line-up that faced Harlequins last time out.
Brad Shields captains the side in his 50th game for Wasps, and moves back to number eight, so that Ben Morris can start at blindside flanker. Thomas Young, now Wasps’ Premiership all-time highest try-scoring forward, completes the back row at openside flanker.
Biyi Alo plays his first game of the season, as he starts at tighthead. He is joined in the front row by Gabriel Oghre, who starts at hooker, with Tom West completing the front three.
The second-row pairing of James Gaskell and Will Rowlands remains unchanged.
The only new addition to the backline sees Charlie Atkinson start at full back for the first time in his Wasps career.
Atkinson is joined in the back three by Josh Bassett and Zach Kibirige.
Inside of them, Paolo Odogwu and Malakai Fekitoa once again make up a powerful centre partnership. While Dan Robson and Jacob Umaga form an unchanged half-back partnership.
Amongst the replacements, Jimmy Gopperth is in line to make his 100th Premiership appearance for Wasps. He is joined on the bench by Sione Vailanu, Ben Vellacott, Tommy Taylor and Rob Miller.
Wasps team to face Worcester Warriors at Ricoh Arena on Saturday in Gallagher Premiership Round 19 (kick-off 3:00pm)
Wasps (First-team appearances)
15 Charlie Atkinson (14)
14 Zach Kibirige (45)
13 Paolo Odogwu (21)
12 Malakai Fekitoa (35)
11 Josh Bassett (146)
10 Jacob Umaga (46)
9 Dan Robson (133)
1 Tom West (51)
2 Gabriel Oghre (42)
3 Biyi Alo (16)
4 Will Rowlands (109)
5 James Gaskell (137)
6 Ben Morris (42)
7 Thomas Young (137)
8 Brad Shields (49) (c)
Replacements
16 Tommy Taylor (89)
17 Simon McIntyre (180)
18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen (41)
19 Tim Cardall (27)
20 Sione Vailanu (28)
21 Ben Vellacott (18)
22 Jimmy Gopperth (124)
23 Rob Miller (122)
