England scrum-half Willi Heinz returns to the Gloucester side after a hamstring injury and is named captain.

Tom Marshall, Chris Harris, Danny Cipriani, Val Rapava Ruskin, Franco Marais, Franco Mostert and Ben Morgan also return to a much-changed side.

Kiwi hooker Matt Moulds starts in place of the injured Niall Annett and is also named Worcester captain.

Ryan Mills comes into the centre after injury while Melani Nanai returns to the wing for Alan Solomons' side.

The Cherry and Whites have won only one of their past seven games, including three straight Premiership defeats - at Leicester and Harlequins and at home to Saracens - to slip to seventh in the table.

Worcester are two points ahead in fourth and have equalled the highest place they have ever occupied at this level.

Warriors, who have won their past two Premiership games - at Harlequins and at home to Sale - have not won three in a row since March 2016.

Victory would take them second, possibly within a point of leaders Northampton.

Gloucester: Marshall; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, Thorley; Cipriani, Heinz (c); Rapava Ruskin, Marais, Balmain; Craig, Mostert, Ackermann, Ludlow Morgan

Replacements: Gleave, Hohneck, Ford-Robinson, Grobler, Clarke, Simpson, Twelvetrees, Sharples

Worcester: Pennell; Humphreys, Beck, Mills, Nanai; Weir Hougaard; Black, Moulds (c), Schonert, Bresler, Kitchener, Hill, Lewis, du Preez

Replacements: Taufete'e, Bower, Carey, Fatialofa, van Velze, Heaney, Lance, Shillcock