Warriors wait on Brive's result

Mike Ruddock wants another European Final for Worcester Warriors

Worcester Warriors will go into their last European Challenge Cup group game on Saturday knowing just what they need to ensure a home quarter final.

Worcester have already made it to the last eight by topping Pool Three.

But they will earn home advantage only if they end up with a better points tally than Pool Four leaders Brive.

And Brive play their final qualifier at home to Overmach Parma on Thursday, almost 48 hours before Mike Ruddock's Warriors take on Petrarca Padova.

"Obviously we have done our maths," Ruddock told the club website. "We know that to get a home quarter-final we are going to need to win with a try bonus point and five tries more than Brive can get on Thursday - and that is a big challenge."

We will focus on improving our game from how we played against Bucuresti Oaks last weekend

Warriors coach Mike Ruddock

But Ruddock says last season's European Challenge Cup finalists must first concentrate simply on winning the game at Sixways.

"The difficulty with a situation like this," he said, "is if you go out thinking about getting bonus points and racking up tries.

"There is the risk that you don't respect your opponents enough and it ends up being a banana skin for you.

"Petrarca beat Bourgoin home and away, which is something we didn't manage to do, so you have to respect them as serious opposition.

"So we will focus on improving our game from how we played against Bucuresti Oaks last weekend.

"We got six tries but we could have performed better and we'll be looking to improve our cohesion and build the game on Saturday instead of getting carried away with the permutations."

Worcester will be without stand-off Eoghan Hickey, who has returned to London Irish following the end of his loan.

Worcester are at home to Petrarca Padova in the European Challenge Cup this Saturday (24 January).

There will be full commentary on BBC Hereford and Worcester 104 fm and at bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester.