WORCESTER Warriors will be “integrating some of the young players” into their squad for Saturday’s European Challenge Cup clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Sixways (3pm).

Head coach Carl Hogg said he was “mindful” Warriors had three crucial Aviva Premiership matches over the Christmas and new year period, starting at relegation rivals Bristol on Boxing Day.

Warriors also face Dragons at Rodney Parade in the return European fixture a week on Friday.

England centre Ben Te’o will definitely not to be involved either match, while scrum-half Jonny Arr looks set to be ruled out with concussion after taking a bang on the head against Wasps.

Backs coach Sam Vesty is in charge of Worcester’s European programme as they chase their first victory in this season’s competition.

Worcester are bottom of Pool Three after defeats to Russian minnows Enisei-STM, who top the pool, and French outfit Brive.

Hogg said: “We will look at integrating some of the young players as we always have and we’re mindful we’ve got a block of three games over Christmas and New Year.

“Ben (Te’o) is on a break next week after England duty but we will look to bring him back for the three-game run in the Premiership.

“We will look to get the balance right between experienced players and integrating young players.”

Worcester picked up losing bonus points from their 19-12 away defeat to Enisei-STM and their narrow 25-24 home reverse to Brive.

Dragons are second in the pool after roaring to a 37-16 home triumph against Brive in their opening fixture.

However, the Welsh region also came unstuck on their trip to Russia, crashing to a surprisingly heavy 38-18 away defeat to Enisei-STM.

While Warriors won just one European game last season, Dragons progressed to the semi-finals after finishing runners-up to Sale Sharks in their group.

Dragons won four of their group matches and then pulled off a superb 23-21 victory against Gloucester, the then holders, at Kingsholm in the quarter-finals.

Dragons eventually lost 22-12 to Montpellier in the last-four and the French club went on to win the crown after defeating Harlequins 26-19 in the final.

Worcester will still be licking their wounds from last Sunday’s 26-12 home defeat to Wasps which leaves them second-bottom in the Premiership.

“We were disappointed not to win a game especially at home,” said Hogg, whose troops have tasted victory just twice at first-team level this term.

“We have been very competitive in the Premiership at Sixways and it was another afternoon when we wanted to stay competitive and pick up points.

“Our endeavour was fantastic but we needed to pick up our clinical accuracy.”

Warriors conceded an interception try in the opening minute and their line-out malfunctioned badly throughout the West Midlands derby.

“In the tail-end of the first half when we retained possession we looked dangerous and Wasps looked stretched and that’s definitely a lesson we need to take forward,” said Hogg.

“I thought we lacked a little bit of accuracy and precision in our phase-play as well as our set-piece.”

Hogg added: “We put Wasps under pressure for long periods but we didn’t convert.

“With the set-piece and line-out malfunctioning, it made it very difficult for us to get a foothold and a stranglehold in the game.”