NICK Schonert believes Worcester Warriors chief Alan Solomons has helped him to become more influential on the field as he prepares to make his England bow.

The South Africa-born prop is set to wear the red rose for the first time after being named on the bench for the non-cap clash against the Barbarians at Twickenham tomorrow (3pm).

Uncapped hooker Jack Singleton will also get another chance to impress after being handed the number two jersey while Worcester-born Elliott Stooke starts at lock.

Should Schonert get on the pitch, it would be a poignant moment in his career having made the move to Worcester from South Africa in 2014 with aspirations of representing England.

The 26-year-old whose grandmother hails from Reading has been a cornerstone of Warriors’ pack over the past four years, making 80 appearances.

But he admitted Solomons had got more out of him since his arrival at Sixways in October.

“Alan has brought a lot to this club,” Schonert said.

“He has given me a lot of confidence as I am finding that other aspects of my game are starting to show.

“I am starting to enjoy defence and I run a little bit more with the ball, so he brings a lot of goodness out of players.”

Solomons spent three months as a coaching consultant at Warriors before taking over the reins from Gary Gold in late December.

Schonert described the 67-year-old as a “fantastic coach” who had also taken Singleton and lock Darren Barry to a “different gear” this season.

“Alan says exactly what is in his head but at the same time has got a softer side so he has got a perfect balance,” Schonert said.

“He asks questions you don’t get asked and you go home and you start to ask yourself those questions.

“After most games we have one-and-one meetings whereas normally you would report to Mefin Davies if you are a prop or Sam Vesty if you are a back.

“He has a chat with you and goes through your stats.

“Some games will be very set-piece dominant but he will say ‘We know you can scrum, but let’s see where you can have more of an influence’.

“All of a sudden you go from making five tackles a game to 15 and go from missing three tackles a game to missing none.

“If you miss two tackles and make seven, he would tell you to go and speak to Omar (Mouneimne) and find out why you are missing those tackles, so you are constantly working on your game.”

Schonert added: “The game is evolving. It’s not a case where if you have got a number one or a three on your back you are there to push, so he asks us ‘What more can you offer?’ ‘You are a good player, but could you be great?’ “He is consistently asking those questions so it’s great to him as our coach.”

England: Daly; May, Trinder, Francis, Brown; Ford, Youngs; Marler, Singleton, Sinckler, Stooke, Launchbury, Robshaw, Curry, Mercer.

Replacements: McGuigan, Genge, Schonert, Beaumont, Wilson, Robson, Cipriani, Solomona.