Worcester v Bath - Teams

Worcester Warriors are almost at full strength for Saturday's Guinness Premiership fixture against Bath.

The Warriors can guarantee their top-flight status for another season with a victory and are boosted by the return to fitness of skipper Pat Sanderson.

Sanderson and Kai Horstmann bolster the back-row, former All Black Greg Rawlinson takes his place in the second-row and hooker Aleki Lutui has overcome an ankle injury.

In the back division Matt Powell returns at scrum-half, Sam Tuitupou at inside centre and Thinus Delport at full-back.

Samoan international centre Dale Rasmussen misses out due to concussion.

"Bath are a fine team and play some great rugby, the type of rugby I would like my team to eventually be able to play," Worcester coach Mike Ruddock told the club's official website.

"They are very threatening with ball in hand, have great continuity about their game and offload.

"They play with width and confidence so they will be a hard team to stop. That is our challenge and we are ready for that task."

Barkley back in favour

Second-placed Bath make three changes to the their starting line-up for the trip to Sixways looking to build on last Tuesday's 26-12 victory over Leicester.

Olly Barkley and Tom Cheeseman form a new centre pairing and Duncan Bell comes into the front-row at tight-head prop.

Bell's inclusion means fellow prop Matt Stevens switches sides to the loose-head.

"You would expect a big physical challenge from their (Worcester's) pack," Bath head coach Steve Meehan told the club's official website.

"If we can play with the tempo that we did in the first half against Leicester, well then we are in!

"This weekend is terribly important for us...and it's going to be hard work.

"They have improved enormously since the beginning of this season and they will be a real handful.

"For us to win the game, we are going to have to put in a really good performance."

Worcester: 15 Thinus Delport, 14 Marcel Garvey, 13 R Gear, 12 S Tuitupou, 11 M Benjamin, 10 S Drahm, 9 M Powell; 1 T Windo, 2 A Lutui, 3 T Taumoepeau, 4 G Rawlinson, 5 C Gillies, 6 D Hickey, 7 P Sanderson (capt), 8 K Horstmann
Replacements: 16 S Ruwers, 17 M Mullan, 18 W Bowley, 19 T Wood, 20 J Carlisle, 21 J Arr, 22 C Pennell

Bath: 15 J Maddock, 14 A Higgins, 13 O Cheeseman, 12 O Barkley, 11 M Banahan, 10 B James, 9 M Claassens; 1 M Stevens, 2 L Mears, 3 D Bell, 4 S Borthwick (capt), 5 D Grewcock, 6 J Faamatuainu, 7 M Lipman, 8 D Browne
Replacements: 16 P Dixon, 17 D Barnes, 18 P Short, 19 C Goodman, 20 M Baxter, 21 S Berne, 22 M Stephenson