Worcester have had a poor season, just 3 wins and a draw from 17 outings. Indeed, the form book shows that results have been poor for quite some time: Since Christmas 2005, Worcester have played 30 Premiership matches, winning just 6. They have been bottom of the table all season and many of their own supporters accepted weeks ago that relegation is ‘no brainer’ (with more than a passing reference to their DoR).

The table doesn’t lie, The Warriors are easy meat…aren’t they? Not quite. Only once, in their last 9 games, have they failed to secure at least a bonus point. Since the turn of the year, Worcester have played 6, won 2, drawn 1, lost 3. In fact, if the season started on January 1st, Wuss would be 5th…Sale would be 11th! This upturn in form has coincided with the release of their Australian Head Coach, Anthony Eddy, before Christmas and the addition of defensive coach, Phil Larder, to their staff. A return to ‘the basics’, which served them so well in the first 2 years of their Premiership tenure, has led to some hard ground points – not particularly pretty but who cares when you are battling for survival?

This weekend they will be without Pat Sanderson, who broke his hand in the win over Bath, and Chris Horseman, called up for Wales. Playmakers James Brown and Shane Drahm have both been struggling with ongoing injuries for the past few weeks, although at least one will probably play, while Marcel Garvey is injured and doubtful. That still leaves a mighty and experienced pack to be chosen from the likes of Morris, Windo, Fortey, Lutui, Taumoepeau, Gillies, Murphy, Collier, Quinnell, Horstman, Hickey and Harding.

In the backs, big hitting centre, Dale Rasmussen, has emerged as Worcester’s probable player of the season and their improved defence is built around him. Thinus Delport and Aisea ‘Ace’ Havili provide the most likely attacking threats (the latter also providing the answer to 18 across in this week’s matchday programme’s crossword…you read it here first!).

So what of Sale? You don’t have read through too many threads on this message board to see the concerns: injuries, international call ups, lack of form, players playing out of position, etc., etc. Since beating Wasps at the beginning of November, we have only won twice in 11 Premiership games. Heineken Cup qualification now seems to hinge on the Anglo-Welsh Cup and so inevitably the semi-final becomes a sub-conscious priority. Maybe eyes aren’t on the ball, so to speak.

Much has been made of those missing players (I make it a reasonable 1st XV: Faure, Bruno, Turner, Lobbe (x2?), Day, White, Bonner, Carter, Lund, Chabal, Tait, Martens, Hodgson, Larrechea, R Jones & Robinson), but at least Mark Cueto and Chris Jones will be returning to the fold – at least that’s the case at the time of writing! We will also quite probably get to see our latest French international, Julien Laharrague, take the field. Even so, it will be far from a first choice starting fifteen who run out with him. Sale need senior players to show leadership and younger stars of the future to grab their chances!

Worcester know that if they get 4 points at Sale, and Bath beat Northampton, they may be level on points with Saints and potentially off the bottom for the first time this season. If they do eventually go down, they will do so fighting, battling and scrapping for every point. That means there will be no easy matches and Sale have a battle on their hands on Friday night. PSA has already referred to this as the biggest game since he joined the club – bigger than the Heineken Cup, bigger than the play-offs, bigger than the Championship final. The ‘R’ word has been uttered. Crikey!

Sale had better turn up this time, or we might be digging out those long-forgotten directions to Doncaster, Coventry, Moseley, Newbury, Bedford, Nottingham…and while I’m at it, just where exactly is Pertemps?

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