IT might only be November but already Saturday’s Aviva Premiership clash between Worcester Warriors and Newcastle Falcons carries huge significance.

Despite only being three games into the new season, Warriors have the opportunity to steal an early march on a team, who have also found life invariably tough in the top flight and they avoided the drop at Worcester’s expense 18 months ago.

During that ill-fated campaign, Worcester were beaten by the Falcons at Sixways before triumphing in the north-east during the run-in, although it was not enough ultimately to save them from the relegation trap door.

Therefore, victory at this stage for Dean Ryan’s side would be a major shot in the arm as they bid for better things this time around.

Indeed, should Worcester win they would have already equalled the number of victories they accrued in the whole of their last Premiership campaign.

And it is teams like Newcastle that they need to be beating if they have any intention of staying up.

Warriors have already shown that they are a tougher prospect this term, having turned over Northampton Saints on the opening weekend and running rivals Gloucester close last time out.

But they are not the finished article and taking points off those who are likely to be around them in the lower echelons of the table will be crucial.

Despite back-to-back defeats, Warriors should be confident as they return to Sixways for the first time since Tom Heathcote’s dramatic last-gasp drop goal sent the fans into delirium against the Saints last month.

That recent memory should give them belief that they can win again and put the pressure firmly on Newcastle and their other rivals going into the winter months.