Well, it’s been a long, tough season, and the weeks of attrition are taking their toll on the players’ bodies. The injury list has lengthened and Ben Macdonald and Mike Lancaster (club physios) are working around the clock on an assortment of stingers, hamstrings, knees, wrists, heads and other damaged parts of the body that even copious pints of Heineken would fail to refresh.

It’s time for some key players to take a well-earned rest, now that the generously proportioned operatic diva has been booked to perform during the interval at Carnegie Hall… I mean Headingley Carnegie… on Sunday.

So the Worcester Warriors, who have remained unbeaten in both the Guinness Premiership and European Challenge Cup since the end of February, will take on Wasps at Adams Park on Saturday (3.00pm ko) with a greatly altered side.

It’s all-change from the one that defeated Gloucester. Johnny Arr, Chris Pennel and Mark Tucker get their chance to start in the backs, and Matt Mullan, Will Bowley, Tom Wood, Matt Cox and Drew Hickey join the pack. Rico Gear, now the Solitary Black, moves infield to ply his trade at outside centre.

The bench will also warm to the callipigious (always wanted to use that word!) Shaun Ruwers, Graham Kitchener, Chris Fortey, and Gavin Quinell, as well as Joey Carisle, Nick Runciman and the fit-at-last Dom Feau’nati. (Some thought needs to be given to seating positions, otherwise Gav and Shaun could end up propelling the sylph-like Carlisle skywards.)

Can this new-look side slow Wasps’ current ascent towards the top of the Premiership table? I doubt it very much. Attila the Hun himself would be proud of the trail of destruction that the pseudo-Londoners have left strewn in their path over the last few weeks, raising Welford Road, the Madstad and the Rec to the ground as well as putting to the sword a host of illustrious visitors to Adams Park.

Since mid-October, Wasps have won six out of six at home, making Adams Park an impregnable fortress and, as they are currently poised in 7th position in the league, potentially two wins away from a top-4 finish, they will be targeting Worcester as a must-win – if not 5-point – clash.

But the Warriors youngsters will be keen to impress Mike Ruddock and emulate Miles Benjamin’s success as 1st XV regulars. And others will be keen to ensure fresh contracts carry their names at the top and the Director of Rugby’s moniker at the bottom. There is plenty of raw talent in this fresh-faced Worcester side, and captain Tony Windo will ensure no lack of aggression, but it will undoubtedly need a Herculean effort to avoid a defeat of Spartan proportions against Wasps’ star-studded line-up.

Of greater import , however, than the Wasps clash are the five ensuing encounters – against Bath, Bristol and Newcastle (twice), as well as a possible ECC final, on which Mike Ruddock and his full squad will have their eyes firmly focused.

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