Rugby: Worcester sources warn of physicality

Two Edinburgh rugby stalwarts with inside track on Worcester Warriors today braced their old Currie club to prepare for a head-on physical battle in the British and Irish Cup tomorrow.

And while Steve Lawrie's information could not be more up-to-the-minute, having faced Worcester as recently as Wednesday for Doncaster in an English Championship fixture, the now retired David Officer was able to draw on experience of representing the English Midlands club a few years ago while simultaneously helping to coach some of their academy youngsters who now figure in the first team.

Officer, a former Scotland tour centre who has coached Boroughmuir 2nds to the top of the reserve league this season, says: "I follow Worcester closely enough to know they have been beaten only once, ironically by Cornish Pirates, who last weekend overcame Currie.

"Within their team to play Currie second row Will Bowley impressed me as a mobile lock who can take good line-out possession while he was emerging from the academy.

"They've always been a well organised club with good facilities; coach Richard Hill is an ex-England scrum half who'll keep their feet on the ground and I'd expect given the way Worcester go about their business that it will be quite fiery up front because that's where their main strength may lie."

That was certainly the impression gained by Lawrie when captaining fifth place Doncaster in this week's 16-37 defeat by Worcester.

"Warriors are good carriers who drive the ball a lot. There's also plenty pace out wide as well" said Lawrie, who joined Doncaster from Edinburgh and gained a first Scotland A cap last month. "It is vital that Currie front up early and deny Worcester a platform."

Currie: T Brown, D Fife, H Abercrombie, J Johnston or A Dunbar, A Turnbull, M Scott, R Snedden, J Cox, S Simonsen, A Hamilton, R Wilson, A Adam, M Cairns, captain, R Weston, M Entwhistle. Subs: F Scott, R Merrilees, G Temple, A Best, J Smith, J Johnston or I Downie, P Horne or A Whittingham.

Worcester: T Arscott, J Whybrow, A Short, G King, O Ripoli, J Carlisle, O Frost, C Black, E Shervington, T Taumoepeau, W Bowley, G Kitchener, J Collins, A Balding, M Kvesic. Subs: W Radburn, O Tamaszcyk, N Dacres, J Arr, L Silver.