Ruddock has seen Warriors win only two Premiership games this season

Worcester Warriors have been sucked right into the Guinness Premiership relegation battle after extending their winless league run to seven games.

The 26-6 Boxing Day home defeat by Northampton, coupled with Sunday's wins for Bath and Leeds, have left Worcester just four points above bottom place.

"It's going to be tough," Warriors director of rugby Mike Ruddock told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"The defeat by Northampton was a body blow. We're hurt and disappointed."

Worcester's latest loss leaves them still without a Premiership, now in three months, since winning two of this term's first four league games.

But, coming on the back of three straight draws, Ruddock admitted: "We were confident, even though Northampton were riding high.

"We thought we'd done our homework and we were buzzing."

Warriors now go to Kingsholm for Saturday's local derby with Gloucester looking to drag the Cherry and Whites into the relegation battle.

After being beaten at Bath on Sunday, Gloucester remain in eighth place, just two points and two places ahead of Worcester.

And Ruddock admits: "We have to shake ourselves down and go to Gloucester and get it right.

"People wrote us off when we went there last year, but we won.

"It's going to be twice as hard this year as they will remember that.

"The element of surprise may have gone, but that's what we have to try and do."

Full commentary on Gloucester v Worcester (2 January, 1500 GMT) on BBC Hereford and Worcester on 104 fm and on line.

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