PROMOTION heavyweights Worcester and Rotherham will come face to face for a potentially explosive winner-takes-all encounter in April next year.

The provisional National One fixtures for the 2002-03 season sees champions Rotherham visit Sixways in the third from last game of the campaign.

It is likely to be another promotion shoot-out, following in the footsteps of Worcester's recent clashes with Leeds and the South Yorkshire club.

However, the big difference is that John Brain's men will have home advantage in the 'decider' after having to visit Headingley last April and Rotherham back in January for crunch matches.

And director of rugby Brain was happy that Rotherham will have to travel to Sixways on April 12 after Worcester have visited Millmoor on November 23.

"That is the encouraging thing from our point of view," he said. "We play them away first.

"I'm certainly not saying it's a two-horse race because there are a lot of strong teams in the division now. But if it does come down to a two-horse race I think you have an advantage by playing your main competitor away first.

"Worcester, in the last two seasons, have not done that. They've had to go to Leeds in April and then Rotherham last year in January.

"When the chips were down, they've had to go away and win and it's difficult. However, it will be different next season and that is very encouraging."

Brain, however, believes his side have not been given an easy start to the promotion campaign.

Worcester travel to rivals Coventry on August 31 in what will be one of the toughest games of the season while they face ambitious Orrell at Sixways a week later.

A trip to Otley is next up before last year's surprise package Exeter, now re-inforced with former Worcester fly-half Tony Yapp, travel to Sixways.

"It's a very hard opening month for us," added Brain.

AUGUST

31 Coventry (A)

SEPTEMBER

7 Orrell (H)

14 Otley (A)

21 Exeter (H)

28 Manchester (A)

OCTOBER

5 Bedford (H)

12 London Welsh (A)

19 Cup 3rd

26 Moseley (H)

NOVEMBER

2 Plymouth (A)

9 Cup 4th

16 Wakefield (H)

23 Rotherham (A)

30 Cup 5th

DECEMBER

7 Rugby (H)

14 Birmingham/S (A)

21 Cup 6th

JANUARY

4 Coventry (H)

11 Orrell (A)

18 Otley (H)

25 Exeter (A)

FEBRUARY

1 Manchester (H)

8 Bedford (A)

22 London Welsh (H)

MARCH

1 Cup S/Finals

1 Moseley (A)

15 Plymouth (H)

29 Wakefield (A)

APRIL

5 Cup Finals

12 Rotherham (H)

19 Birmingham/S (H)

26 Rugby (A)