FULL-BACK Chris Pennell returns to Worcester Warriors starting line-up for tomorrow's Greene King IPA Championship play-off final first leg against Bristol at Ashton Gate (7.45pm).

But flanker Sam Betty, who has been Warriors' outstanding player this term, is not in the squad.

A Warriors club spokesman could not confirm the reasons for the flanker's absence.

It is unclear whether Betty, who is the supporters' club's player of the season, is injured or dropped.

Betty did not feature in Warriors' squad for the play-off semi-final second leg against London Scottish at Sixways and is a significant omission.

He started the first leg of the semi-final in Richmond, but was replaced by Sam Lewis after 66 minutes.

There is also no place for Warriors' leading back this season, Max Stelling, who suffered a hamstring problem when the two clubs met at Sixways in April.

Speaking last Friday, Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan said he was 'hopeful' Stelling and Pennell would be available for the final.

Pennell returns but Stelling has not been named in the squad.

It's not known whether Stelling has suffered a set-back in his bid to return to action.

Meanwhile, Matthew Morgan returns to Bristol starting line-up.

The Greene King IPA Championship player of the year is one of three changes as Bristol prepare for the visit of Warriors in front of a sell-out crowd at Ashton Gate.

Mitch Eadie recovers from a shoulder injury sustained in the semi-finals to be named in the back-row alongside Ryan Jones and Jack Lam.

Ross McMillan (pectoral) is unavailable, so Chris Brooker starts and Max Crumpton comes into the 22-man squad.

Marco Mama is listed among the replacements, which also includes fellow Academy graduates Jack Tovey and Ben Glynn.

Worcester Warriors

15 Chris Pennell

14 Tom Biggs

13 Alex Grove

12 Ryan Mills

11 Cooper Vuna

10 Ryan Lamb

9 JB Bruzulier

1 Val Rapava Ruskin

2 Agustin Creevy

3 Nick Schonert

4 Jonathan Thomas

5 James Percival

6 Mike Williams

7 Sam Lewis

8 GJ van Velze (C)

 

Replacements

16 Niall Annett

17 Ryan Bower

18 Joe Rees

19 Leonardo Senatore

20 Jamie Shillcock

21 Ravai Fatiaki

22 Ben Howard

 

Bristol

15 Jack Wallace

14 Charlie Amesbury

13 Gareth Maule

12 Gavin Henson

11 David Lemi

10 Matthew Morgan

9 Dwayne Peel (c);

1 Kyle Traynor

2 Chris Brooker

3 Gaston Cortes

4 Glen Townson

5 Mark Sorenson

6 Ryan Jones

7 Jack Lam

8 Mitch Eadie.

 

Replacements:

Max Crumpton

Anthony Perenise

Ben Glynn

Marco Mama

Tom Kessell

Nicky Robinson

Jack Tovey