EXCITING young centre Ollie Lawrence looks set to be the latest academy ace to be offered the chance to show they belong on the Gallagher Premiership stage.

The highly-rated 19-year-old is in the mix for selection for Worcester Warriors’ trip to high-fliers Exeter Chiefs on Saturday (3pm) as boss Alan Solomons looks to reshuffle his side after being hit by injuries.

Ben Te’o’s wait for his first appearance of the season continues after suffering a calf injury in training while Solomons was coy on the fitness of Ryan Mills and Francois Venter who have been Warriors’ midfield pairing for their past four games.

Asked whether Worcester had sustained any injuries at centre, Solomons said: “We have got knocks so we will look at how they are.

“Unless someone is 100 per cent we are not going to risk them unless we had no player in that position.”

On Mills and Venter, Solomons said: “They will be under consideration like everybody else.

“We will have a comprehensive debate about each position and into that mix will come all the medical stuff as everything will be taken into account.

“The team that we pick will be guys that are 100 per cent fit to play.”

Solomons has shown he is not afraid to throw academy players into the first team since being appointed director of rugby as Andrew Kitchener, Will Butler and Ted Hill have all been given the opportunity to shine in the top-flight.

Hill marked his Premiership bow with two tries including the match-winning score in Warriors’ 44-37 victory over Leicester Tigers at Welford Road last Sunday.

And Lawrence could be the next product of the club’s youth set-up to inject “energy” into Worcester this season after impressing Solomons.

“Ollie has done really well so we are very happy with him,” Solomons said.

“He is certainly a guy who will be under consideration (for this weekend).”

Lawrence burst onto the scene in November last year when he scored on his Warriors debut in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

The Birmingham-born back made two further senior appearances and featured in Worcester’s pre-season games.

“Ollie is a terrific player,” Solomons said. “I was impressed with him last year and he was at school.

“Anybody who came to watch that match (against Sale) in the Premiership Shield last season could see he had an absolutely terrific game.

“He is a talent. He just needs experience.

“We were able to give him runs in the team which were really beneficial to him and in the pre-season friendlies.

“He played in that first game in Treviso which he learnt a lot from and then the next game against Hartpury.

“Although Hartpury were not at the same level as Treviso you could see that he had taken on board a lot of things from that (previous) game.”

Tighthead prop Nick Schonert (dead leg), lock Pierce Phillips (dislocated thumb) and flanker Sam Lewis (hip pointer) are all doubts for the trip to Exeter.

Should Lewis be ruled out, Worcester-born Hill could be handed his first start for Warriors after starring off the bench at Leicester.

“It is a boost for all the youngsters to see a guy like Ted come through, play well in the Premiership and show that he belongs there,” Solomons added.

“It is a massive help (to have young players who can step up to the first team).

“The energy they bring is remarkable.”