Continuity is king for Warriors
Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:49
Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock has named the same starting line-up for the fourth consecutive game as Worcester Warriors prepare to face Gloucester in a red-hot Guinness Premiership derby at Sixways Stadium on Saturday.
Ruddock has named the same team that beat Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers before drawing with Leeds Carnegie in difficult conditions for the sell-out clash.
Changes on the bench see New Zealand wing Rico Gear return after missing the last three games through illness and injury.
Prop Darren Morris returns to the replacements, after being ruled out since early February with a stinger injury, and young scrumhalf Jonny Arr is also named with Ryan Powell and Nick Runciman ruled out.
Fijian international Netani Talei and Wales star Chris Horsman are among those unavailable due to injury.
"Gloucester are a fine side and I have been very impressed with them, watching from afar last season as they made the Guinness Premiership final and this year I think they have improved again," said Ruddock.
"They are coming here to Sixways stadium to a sell-out and there will be a massive atmosphere.
"It's going to be a big game and hopefully we can do enough to get a result. We are aware of the fact that we have never beaten them, we have talked about making history.
"If we are serious about winning we need to start better than we did against Leeds. We need to get the first score in.
"That was key to our win up at Sale because we tackled for our lives after to keep ahead," said Ruddock.
Worcester: 15 Thinus Delport, 14 Marcel Garvey, 13 Dale Rasmussen, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Miles Benjamin, 10 Shane Drahm, 9 Matt Powell, 8 Kai Horstmann, 7 Pat Sanderson (captain), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Craig Gillies, 4 Greg Rawlinson, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Tony Windo.
Replacement: 16 Darren Morris, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 Will Bowley, 19 Drew
Hickey, 20 Joe Carlisle, 21 Jonny Arr, 22 Rico Gear.
Date: Saturday, 29 March
Venue: Sixways Stadium
Kick-off: 17.00 GMT
Referee: Sean Davey
Touch judges: Paul Dix, Martin Buck
Assessor: Nigel Yates
Television match official: Matt Peters
With thanks to guinnesspremiership.com
