WORCESTER Warriors will look to make it five wins in a row against Leicester Tigers when the Gallagher Premiership season begins at Sixways on Saturday (3pm).
Warriors’ fine run against the Tigers stretches back to last season and was continued last month when Alan Solomons’ men recorded a 57-23 triumph in the opening game of the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Warriors go into the game looking to record an early victory and avoid a repeat of last season which saw the Sixways side without a win in three games until a stunning 44-37 triumph at Welford Road, the home of Saturday’s visitors.
Warriors ended their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign in disappointing fashion as Wasps full-back Marcus Watson masterminded his side’s victory with a second half hat-trick of tries at the Ricoh Arena.
Warriors were only two points adrift going into first half injury time, but they gave away two penalties in a five-minute period either side of the interval which allowed Billy Searle to stretch Wasps’ lead.
Watson’s sharp finishing then settled the issue as he completed his hat-trick in a devastating 20-minute spell while all Warriors had to show for an afternoon of fruitless endeavour were two Duncan Weir penalties.
The 39-6 reverse saw Warriors fail to qualify for the latter stages of the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Warriors wing Alex Hearle will be out of action for between three and four months having suffered a foot injury in the Premiership Rugby Cup match against Exeter Chiefs.
Hearle underwent surgery to repair the injury and will be sidelined for a shorter period than was initially feared.
“It’s a nasty little injury and is known as a lisfranc injury and occurs around the area where the bones of the foot meet the bones of the toes,” said Solomons.
