KEY duo Chris Pennell and Max Stelling are rated as “possibilities” to return from injury for Worcester Warriors’ crunch clash at Bristol next week.

Stelling (hamstring) and Pennell (knee) have been on the sidelines since picking up injuries in the 30-26 defeat against Bristol at Sixways on April 25.

But centre Andy Symons has been ruled out for “five or six months” after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.

Ben Howard took a knock to the head in last week’s play-off semi-final second leg success against London Scottish, while Charlie Mulchrone (broken foot) and Jonny Arr (suspension) will miss both leg of the final.

Director of rugby Dean Ryan says he needs his big names to step up to the mark in the Championship play-off final first leg at Ashton Gate on Wednesday (7.45pm).

Ryan said: “Symons and the people we’ve spoken about before won’t feature but some of those guys like Pennell and Stelling are possibilities to be back so it gives us a few extra days to give us a chance.”

Speaking about Stelling’s recovery prospects, Ryan said: “There’s a good chance he is available and that’s what we’re working hard to do. We are on tight timelines and we have got decisions to make but they are all possibilities.

“We have always known it was a tight race into the finals. There’s no point saying he’s fit now because he’s not “But Stelling is one of those people for whom it is feasible will be playing next week and the week after but we need a lot of things to keep going smoothly to get to that situation.”

Bristol recorded two narrow wins against Worcester during the regular Championship campaign and will have a near fully-fit squad from which to choose.

Ryan said: “We need everybody to play well. We need our big players to play well and we need our pack to be robust like it was last Friday.

“We don’t need our best players going into themselves and we need everybody to be at the top of their form. It’s still going to be tight and it’s still going to be defined by small margins.”