WORCESTER Warriors will be roared on by 1,600 schoolchildren when they take on Pau in the European Challenge Cup at Sixways on Saturday (3pm).

A thousand free tickets have been distributed to 16 local schools as part of the club’s initiative to forge closer links with the community and engage more with younger people.

Eight teams from the schools will also take part in matches during the half-time interval of the Pau match.

Warriors' co-owner Jed McCrory said: “It is important for us to work with people at the heart of our community and engage the next generation of supporters.

“We invited head teachers, PE teachers and rugby coaches from 50 local schools to our last home match against Harlequins and we have distributed tickets for the Pau game as a Christmas present from the Warriors’ board of directors.

“Nunnery Wood PE teacher and England Counties' under 18s chairman of selectors Bee Bannister has been helping us with this initiative and we are excited about seeing more schools here at Sixways in the future.”

Bannister, a well-known figure in schools rugby circles, will take lead on helping Warriors improve links with schools in the area.

Bannister, who has taught at Nunnery Wood School in Worcester for more than 25 years, played as a prop for Sale, Cheltenham and Malvern.

His long involvement with schools rugby at county, divisional and national levels includes stints as Team Manager of Midlands Under-18s and Chairman of Selectors of England Counties Under-18s.