RUGBY Lions might not have seemed a defining match for Worcester when they scanned through the fixture list back in August.

But with the scars of Millmoor still fresh, Saturday's clash at Sixways represents just that for the promotion-chasing club.

Anyone involved in sport will tell you that you can develop players, train and prepare them but nothing affects performance more than confidence. The drained faces looked anything but confident as they trudged off the Millmoor field and one suspects that Saturday's brush with Powergen Cup death will have done little to re-ignite the fire.

So when the Warriors run out at Sixways it will begin a period of rehabilitation which will decide whether they are going to live or die in this season's promotion race.

With Birmingham & Solihull up next and then January trips to Orrell and Exeter, Worcester have to prove to themselves that they have the self-belief to recover from their knockout blow in Yorkshire.

"They were naturally down after Rotherham," said coach Andy Keast. "Inwardly the confidence is still there. I've seen it in training and I saw it in flashes in the Halifax match. On the surface though they are a bit shy and I think it will probably take a good performance against Rugby to complete the rehabilitation.

"We've heard a lot of positive talk about inner strength but, really, the top and bottom of it is what happens on the field on Saturday. Hopefully on Saturday night the players will have answered all the questions."

Director of rugby John Brain also believes that the Rugby test is the first chance for the players to shake off the trauma of Rotherham.

"It's the first measure of how we react to Rotherham," he said.

"What happened at that day represents a challenge for everyone involved. It was a desperately disappointing second half but we have to move on and the boys seem very positive again in training.

"We know what is coming for us and we have to be prepared mentally for the challenges ahead. We have away trips at Birmingham & Solihull next week and then Leicester. In the New Year we go to Orrell and Exeter so this is an important time for us.

"But we know we have the quality in the squad. We have been through a tough period where injuries have taken their toll but we have players coming back now and that obviously helps."

One player who was a shock omission from the squad to play at Rotherham -- Craig Chalmers -- is back in the fold for Rugby. Not in the starting 15, but restored to the 22 after a hard-working week in training.

"Craig's trained very well this week," said Keast. "He was naturally disappointed to be left out of the Rotherham squad but I don't think anyone watching that game would question why Tim Walsh was in the side.

"The past doesn't bother me. It's not about names and histories -- it's about what a player can give me now and I think if you sat down with Craig Chalmers over a beer, he would admit that Tim Walsh has the edge over him at present.

"He's a player in the squad and we have to treat everyone the same way otherwise you leave yourself open to all sorts of problems.

"We believe that Tim Walsh is playing better at the moment and that's it. There's no problem with Craig and us."