WORCESTER Warriors step up their preparations for the new season with a tough 'warm-up' match against the newly combined Welsh side Neath/ Swansea at the Gnoll tonight (7pm).

Sixways director of rugby John Brain today named a starting line-up, but is planning to use an additional seven or eight players during various stages of the match. He said: "We have been training now for seven weeks and this will provide a benchmark for where we are in our overall preparations."

The Warriors will be going into the game on the back of their crushing 72-0 win over Stourbridge last Saturday.

Worcester: Roke; O'Leary, Officer, Trueman, Garrard; Hayes, Powell; Thomas, Bates, Evans, Gillies, Zaltzman, Lyman, Hall, Windo.