THE disappointment of not being picked for Worcester Warriors’ Boxing Day clash at relegation rivals Bristol will drive on flanker Marco Mama.

The Nigeria-born player failed to make the match-day 23 for the 28-20 defeat despite overcoming a hamstring injury which kept him out for three months.

Mama first caught Worcester’s eye while playing for Bristol in the 2014-15 Championship season.

With him in the Bristol side, Warriors edged to a thrilling 59-58 victory over two legs to clinch promotion to the Aviva Premiership.

However, instead of battling it out at the top of the Championship, the two clubs are now slugging it out for the right to stay in the top tier.

Warriors are just one place and one point better off than Bristol who travel to Sixways for a crucial relegation tussle on March 5 (3pm).

“It seems to be back like it was two years ago with the two sides scrapping it out,” said Mama who joined Warriors in a permanent switch in the summer after a loan spell last term.

“Last time the two sides were battling at the top of the Championship and now it’s at the bottom of the Premiership.

“We have always had some good games against each other and there has always been big drama.

“I chat to a couple of my mates every so often at Bristol and a lot of things we are going through and experiencing they are also experiencing.”

The Warriors back row made a blistering start to the season before tearing his hamstring in their 37-22 defeat at Bath in September.

The 25-year-old returned for the 22-7 European Challenge Cup reverse at Newport Gwent Dragons last month and scored a try in the 17-14 defeat at Brive on Saturday.

“As a rugby player, if you don’t get frustrated when you don’t get selected then you are in the wrong sport,” said Mama.

“It’s a privileged position to be in a match-day 23 but you can’t sit back and get frustrated and kick your feet up when you’re not selected.

“My injury was frustrating. It ended up being three months and three months too long at the time.

“It has been quite challenging and I had one setback with the injury as well.

“But I feel strong and am looking forward to getting some game-time under my belt.”

Despite being keen to play, Mama accepts he has to prove his worth to break into Worcester’s starting line-up for the Premiership.

“Within any competitive environment, someone coming back from an injury has to earn their right to play and that’s how it should be,” said Mama.

“It doesn’t matter who you are — a starting place should never come as a given.

“There are a lot of back rows at the club and many are fit and playing good rugby at the moment.

“The back rows have probably been the stand-out performers for Worcester in recent weeks.”