FORMER skipper Jonathan Thomas hopes to mark his 32nd birthday by helping Worcester Warriors to victory over Yorkshire Carnegie at Headingley today (2.30pm).

Flanker Mat Gilbert returns to Warriors’ starting line-up and is one of just two squad changes with Matt Cox in for Leonardo Senatore in the replacements.

Warriors slipped to second in the Greene King IPA Championship after Bristol recorded a narrow 28-24 vicitory over Bedford Blues yesterday to regain top spot.

Yorkshire are sixth in the table with three wins from nine league matches.

Warriors aim for a 15th successive win in all competi - tions and former Leeds star Tom Biggs returns to the city to face his old club.

Chris Pennell starts at full- back with Sam Smith and Biggs lining up next to the centre partnership of Max Stelling and Ryan Mills.

Warriors’ joint-top try- scorer this season, Val Rapava Ruskin, partners Gus Creevy and Nick Schonert in the front row, while Darren O’Shea stands next to Mike Williams in the second row.

Ryan Lamb, outstanding in Warriors’ 34-17 win at London Scottish last weekend, and Jonny Arr complete the half-back combination.

Warriors’ director of rugby Dean Ryan said: “We need to go well again this weekend, put a marker down and turn into the new year ready for the challenges that will come.

“Yorkshire are a side who probably haven’t performed at the level of expectation expected after last season.

“They have lost a few players and a coach in the sum - mer and then another coach six or seven weeks in.

“Yorkshire are dangerous because they are coming out of a period of change and looking to prove a point.

“Going to Headingley with a Christmas crowd promises to be a tough fixture for us.”

Warriors: Pennell; Smith, Stelling, Mills, Biggs; Lamb, Arr; Ruskin, Creevy, Schonert, Williams, O’Shea, Thomas, Gilbert, Van Velze.

Replacements: George, Bower, Rees, Cox, Mulchrone, Mieres, Symons.

Yorkshire: Georgiou; Goss, Vickerman, Lucock, Prell; Leonard, Pilgrim; Harris, Walker, Hill, Smith, Beck, Williams, Walker, Burrows.

Replacements: Nilsen, Imiolek, Beech, Casson, Bainbridge, Dudman, Peters