Bedford Blues v Worcester Warriors

Hill has had some of his injured players watch the opposition

Worcester Warriors will hand a debut to England Under-20 centre Andy Short for their top-of-the-table clash with Bedford Blues on Saturday.

Short replaces the injured Alex Crockett, while James Collins comes in at flanker in place of Jake Abbott, who is out with a long-term injury.

Bedford will be without hooker Dan Richmond because of a shoulder injury.

Sam Walsh, Sean Tomes and Sacha Harding are set to replace Laurence Ovens, Mike Howard and Will Fraser.

Worcester head coach Richard Hill told BBC Hereford & Worcester: "They have probably got the best attack in the league apart from ourselves.

We've chopped and changed the selection, kept people fresh, and with a bit of luck we can go down there very fresh at the weekend

Warriors head coach Richard Hill

"Bedford had a great start to the season; it's hard to keep that up, they've picked virtually the same team for seven weeks running.

"They haven't changed much and that can begin to take its toll when you have the knocks over the course of the weeks.

"I've just seen them start to be not quite so convincing as they were at the start of the season.

"They started off like a train and they were playing some outstanding rugby and you have to take your hat off that there was some spectacular rugby going on.

"But it may well be that it's taken it toll a little bit. We've chopped and changed the selection, kept people fresh, and with a bit of luck we can go down there very fresh at the weekend.

Warriors have been using injured stars Chris Pennell and Matt Mullan to take a look at the opposition and Hill believes it has worked well.

"They've been able to look ahead a bit to Bedford and the Pirates, so they've produced some good information and they present it to the players as well," added Hill.

"It's a difference voice but it's from a players perspective as well, when they go and watch the games they can often bring back some good information."

Bedford are unbeaten at Goldington Road this season and boss Mike Rayer hopes the clash will give his side an idea of what they can achieve this season.

"It's a yard stick for us, it will be a real measure of how far we've come," he said.

"We're still feeling the hangover of the thumping we got from Exeter in the semi-final of the play-offs last year.

"Worcester are a Premiership side for intents and purposes and we'll know come five o'clock on Saturday where we stand.

"For us it's about a performance at the weekend but as well as that it's about collecting as many points as possible between now and the end of February."

Warriors: Arscott, Garvey, Short, Rasmussen, Benjamin, Goode, Arr, C.Black, Lutui, Taumoepeau, Kitchener, Gillies, Best, Collins, Horstmann.

Replacements: Shervington, Douglas, Rawlinson, Balding, Williams, Carlisle, Walker.

There will be full commentary on Bedford v. Worcester Warriors on BBC Hereford and Worcester on 104 fm and online.