AVOIDUNG THE GOLD RUSH

Since the sides met on the opening day when Saracens recorded a 35-3 win as part of the Twickenham double header, Worcester have found wins hard to come by, winning only two Premiership matches (and drawing two others) and failing to make a consistent impact in the European Rugby Challenge Cup or Anglo Welsh Cup. For lovers of statistics, the Warriors have scored a respectable 27 tries, more than Leicester and Northampton, but the problem is that they have let in 45 of them, compared to the miserly ten conceded by Saracens, as promising moves often break down, or winning positions are lost, such as in their opening home game when a 15-6 lead against Gloucester saw the match finish 23-23 as the artificial pitch made its debut. A trip to Bath was lost 37-22 before another high scoring home draw, 34-34 with Sale Sharks, had seen the hosts fail to protect a 31-17 lead. However, it was an emphasis on defence which brought the opening success, a 11-9 Sixways victory against Newcastle Falcons, but a 34-13 loss followed at Leicester.

 

The European competition got off to a disappointing double defeat as a trip to Moscow saw a 19-12 loss to Enisei and back at home they were edged out by a point at the hands of Brive. Back in the Premiership, another blank day on the road came at Harlequins in a 36-14 loss, although Bristol's appalling form was providing a cushion from the relegation battle at this stage, and it was Bristol who were beaten 31-25 in the opening Anglo Welsh match. However, hope of progress was damaged by a 62-10 loss at Wasps in the second game. Warriors had made a triumphant return to the Premiership last season as they beat Northampton with the last kick of the match, but lightning didn't strike twice as the home side were beaten 18-17 and then crashed 57-22 at Exeter. 

 

December saw an injury-hit Wasps come away from Sixways with a 26-12 win before it finished with a win apiece in the European double header and the last match of 2016 appeared to hint at a significant momentum shift, as Warriors lost 28-20 at Bristol, who claimed their first league win of the season despite being down to 14 men for all but 15 minutes of the match. Crucially, though, Worcester responded with a second Premiership victory of the campaign as Harlequins were beaten 24-17 as the game was played out relatively comfortably, but, again, this wasn't built on, as a 55-19 loss followed at Gloucester. Out of contention in Europe, a narrow defeat at Brive was followed by a large home success against Enisei, whilst Quins got revenge in the Anglo Welsh with a win at Sixways and that tournament was closed with a 53-38 win at Cardiff Blues. 

 

After the knock-out matches, Warriors seem likely to return to a line up similar to that which defeated Harlequins. Chris Pennell should start at full back, with Dean Hammond and Cooper Vuna occupying the wings outside a centre partnership of Wynand Olivier and Jackson Willison, as Ryan Mills should be at fly half alongside Hougaard. Into the forwards, and a possible front row includes Val Rapava Ruskin, hooker Jack Singleton and Nic Schonert, as Donncha O'Callaghan teams up with Darren Barry in the second row, and the back row could comprise of Dewald Potgieter, Phil Dowson and Alafoti Fa'osiliva. Following that strong finish against Leicester in the Anglo Welsh last Sunday where a Tigers comeback was repelled and the fourth try came at the death, there may be a number of players from that match given an opportunity by Saracens in this game. So Matt Gallangher could be retained at full back, with Chris Ashton and Nathan Earle on the wings, and a centre partnership of Marcelo Bosch and Brad Barritt, as Alex Lozowski and Richard Wigglesworth team up in the halfbacks. Forwards-wise, Richard Barrington, Schalk Brits and Petrus du Plessis should form the front row, with Mark Flanagan and Jim Hamilton forming a new lock combination, and the back row comprised of Jackson Wary, Will Fraser and Schalk Burger