A NEW beginning or a false dawn? The next 10 days should give us a pretty good indication of Worcester's prospects for Premiership survival.

Four wins in a row is the perfect preparation for a run of three games which could seal the club's fate or give them the springboard for a rescue mission.

This period will be the ultimate test of a squad, which we have been told is the strongest ever assembled at Sixways. There was scant evidence to support that claim in the first two-and-a-half months of the season but these are changing times.

The congested festive fixture list has come about as a result of next year's World Cup and the need to give England time to prepare for the competition.

It is an unprecedented state of affairs and will provide a thorough examination of each and every club's long-term planning capabilities.

Warriors are rarely found wanting in this particular area. Facilities were upgraded in the summer to aid recovery times and director of rugby John Brain has formulated a battle-plan to keep his players in the best possible shape.

"Three games in 10 days will place unique demands on players," said Brain. "We have programmed when the players are going to come in and how they are going to recover. Recovery protocols will be absolutely vital.

"It will be the team that recovers best that will play best. We have thought about what we are doing over those 10 days a lot and we have used all the experience and expertise we have got at this club to try to come to a programme that balances our recovery with preparation."

After tomorrow night's visit of London Irish, Brain's side play Harlequins at home followed by a trip to Northampton on New Year's Day.

"There's not a lot you can do in terms of physical preparation between playing London Irish and Quins and then Quins and Northampton," he added.

"We have just got to make sure the players are clear about the tactics and the game-plan for each game and they are adequately recovered."

At this time of year the backroom staff really earn their corn. Fitness coach Kier Hansen has been honing the athletic prowess of the players since his arrival in the off-season and now is the time for that work to really pay off.

Physio Bob Stewart is also likely to have his hands full over the Christmas and New Year period and his expertise could be vital. Stewart has already helped speed up the recovery of Gavin Quinnell and Brain believes the back-row forward - who damaged knee ligaments just three weeks ago - could be back as early as the Quins fixture.

"Gavin is progressing extremely well," he said. "The indications are that he will be fit for the Northampton game and he could be fit for the game against Quins should we need him. We thought it was a six-week injury but we have got a very, very good physio here in Bob Stewart.

"Gavin has worked really hard to get there as fast as he can. He's done everything he possibly could."

Brain accepts the demands placed on his team in the coming days require a "degree of rotation", particularly among the forwards, and now is the time when the true strength in depth of his squad will become clear. Let's hope they are up to the task.