FORMER player Neil Mason has returned to Sixways this week to ease Worcester's back-row problems.

The flanker joined Moseley in the summer but Warriors director of rugby John Brain was given the option of recalling him as part of the deal. He will train with the Premiership club thr-oughout November.

Warriors skipper Pat Sanderson is expected to be named in the England squad later today and may not be available for any of Worcester's four Premiership games this month.

New signing Tom Harding will miss at least three of those games after picking up a mouth injury playing for North Harbour in New Zealand.

Mason, who came through the academy at Worcester, can fill in at six or seven.

The club is also confident Johnny Tuamoheloa, along with countrymen Tevita Taumoepeau and Aisea Havili, will decline overtures from the Tongan RFU to play international matches ag-ainst Italy and France.