Rugby Union
Warriors ready for European decider

Buy photos » Warriors wing Josh Drauniniu has been handed a place against Stade Francais ahead of Miles Benjamin. Picture by Ian Smith

JOSH Drauniniu and Errie Claassens have been rewarded for their recent try scoring exploits with starting places for Worcester Warriors crucial Amlin Challenge clash against Stade Francais in Paris on Saturday.

Head coach Richard Hill has made eight changes from the side that defeated Banca Monte Crociati, with most notably out-of-contract Miles Benjamin not making with the 23-man squad, casting further doubt over his future at the club.

The other Warriors player linked with a move away from Sixways, Marcel Garvey, comes back into the side along with the experienced Dale Rasmussen.

Claassens, who scored two tries against Banca Monte Crociati, keeps his place ahead of Chris Pennell at full-back to hand Shaun Perry the captaincy for the second successive game.

Props Matt Mullan and Tevita Taumoepeau will pack down alongside hooker Ed Shervington while a new-look lock pairing of James Percival and Chris Jones will combine in the second row.

To progress to the quarter finals, Warriors must win and deny Stade a bonus point to bring the equation down to tries or aggregate points in their two games, or they must win with a try bonus point and once again deny Stade a losing bonus.

But Hill believes his side has what it takes to produce the result required in Paris.

"We are a better team than when we last played Stade Francais and we are all looking forward to the game," said Hill.

"We will need a big start in Paris and we go full of confidence. We will need to be on top of or game against a very powerful Stade side."

"We have worked hard throughout the European campaign, after losing the first game to Stade at Sixways, to make sure we get to a winner-takes-all game in Paris.

"The squad has really performed and we have now got to the position where everything rests on one game. It is exciting, we want a top quality performance and to try and remain unbeaten in 2012.

"There is no doubt of that this will be one of the biggest nights in the club's European history. We want to play in the quarter finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup and it is a fantastic opportunity for Warriors to really produce on the biggest stage."

Warriors side to take on Stade Francais: Claassens, Garvey, Grove, Rasmussen, Drauniniu, Goode, Perry (c), Mullan, Shervington, Taumoepeau, Percival, Jones, Betty, Abbott, Kvesic

Replacements: Lutui, Porter, Currie, Gillies, Gulliver, Frost, Carlisle, Pennell