MATTI Williams will make his first Gallagher Premiership start for Worcester Warriors when they return to league action at Bath on Saturday (12.45pm).

With England newcomer Ted Hill on international duty against Japan at Twickenham and Marco Mama sidelined by a hamstring injury, Williams gets his chance at blindside after impressive showings in the European Challenge Cup and Premiership Cup.

Williams’ previous Premiership appearances for Warriors have been as a replacement having being persuaded by director of rugby Alan Solomons to switch to the back row from hooker where he played at Northampton Saints.

Perry Humphreys starts on the left wing in place of Josh Adams, who is a replacement for Wales against Tonga, in the other change to the starting XV who thrashed Bristol 52-7 in Worcester's last Premiership outing on October 7.

Tighthead prop Nick Schonert takes his place in the front row having returned from England training and Duncan Weir starts at fly-half after two weeks of training with Scotland.

On the bench, hooker Niall Annett, prop Ethan Waller, utility back Jamie Shillcock and experienced centre Wynand Olivier are in a Premiership squad for the first time this season.

Annett comes in for Joe Taufete’e, who is playing for USA in Romania, and Waller for Ryan Bower as he has been ruled out for the rest of the season by an Achilles tendon injury sustained in last weekend's 34-22 Premiership Cup defeat at Saracens.

Nathan Catt starts in the Bath front row fresh from agreeing a new long-term contract and will be joined by the returning Tom Dunn and Henry Thomas.

Worcester-born Elliott Stooke, who also agreed a new extension, comes back into the fold in the second row alongside Dave Attwood.

Matt Garvey switches from the second row to captain the side from blindside flanker with Tom Ellis and Josh Bayliss completing the back row.

Will Chudley and Freddie Burns form the half-back pairing as Jamie Roberts starts at inside centre pairing up with Jackson Willison who will come up against his former side.

Cooper Vuna will also face his former team-mates from the left wing with Semesa Rokoduguni on the opposite flank.

Warriors: Pennell; Heem, Venter, Mills, Humphreys; Weir, Hougaard; Black, Singleton, Schonert, Bresler, Barry, Williams, Lewis, van Velze. Replacements: Annett, Waller, Milasinovich, Phillips, Cox, Heaney, Shillcock, Olivier.

Bath: Homer; Rokoduguni, Willison, Roberts, Vuna; Burns, Chudley; Catt, Dunn, Thomas, Attwood, Stooke, Garvey, Ellis, Bayliss. Replacements: Walker, van Rooyen, Perenise, Charteris, Douglas, Fotuali’i, Wright, McConnochie.