Worcester v Gloucester: Teams

Worcester Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock names the same starting line-up for the fourth consecutive game as the Warriors take on Gloucester at Sixways Stadium on Saturday.

Ruddock sticks with the men that beat Sale and Leicester before drawing with Leeds in difficult conditions.

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 scrum-half Jonny Arr is also named with Ryan Powell and Nick Runciman ruled out.

"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.

Changes

For Gloucester both Alex Brown and Olly Morgan return to the starting line-up following injuries and will be part of a vastly different team from the one that lost to Sale in the last round of matches.

Brown comes back following surgery on a fractured jaw sustained against Harlequins and will partner Marco Bortolami at lock.

In total there are twelve changes to the team that lost 22-16 to Sale, with only loosehead prop Nick Wood, hooker Andy Titterrell and Akapusi Qera retaining their places.

Worcester are unbeaten in their last three matches in the Guinness Premiership, and have never before gone four games without defeat in the Premiership in the same season.

In 2008 the Warriors have been beaten just once at Sixways in any competition: 11-12 by London Irish in the Premiership on 22 February.

Gloucester have slipped to four defeats in their last six Guinness Premiership encounters and have relinquished the lead in the table for the first time this season.

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 (c), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Craig Gillies, 4 Greg Rawlinson, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Tony Windo.
Replacements: 16 Darren Morris, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 Will Bowley, 19 Drew Hickey, 20 Joe Carlisle, 21 Jonny Arr, 22 Rico Gear.

Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 Iain Balshaw, 13 James Simpson-Daniel, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Lesley Vainikolo, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Luke Narraway, 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Alex Brown, 4 Marco Bortolami (c), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Andy Titterrell, 1 Nick Wood.
Replacements: 16 Jeremy Paul, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Will James, 19 Gareth Delve, 20 Gareth Cooper, 21 Willie Walker, 22 Chris Paterson.