FRIDAY’S Premiership clash with Northampton Saints already falls into the ‘must-win’ category, according to Warriors boss Richard Hill.

Both sides have made a faltering start to the campaign with just a win apiece from their opening four games.

Following the last-gasp 17-15 Harlequins defeat on Saturday, Sixways head coach Hill insists the importance of victory against the Saints on Friday night (7.45) has been heightened.

He said: “It’s not too early to say this is a must-win game — you have to try and get out of the bottom four group as early as possible.

“We thought the Harlequins game was pivotal as we felt we were going to win it — now this one becomes even more important.

“It would calm everyone down a bit if we had a good win on Friday night and give the players a lot more confidence. The last thing we want is to be frightened to death to play.

“We will come across a very strong Northampton side, who will want to take us on in the scrum, line-out drive and round the fringes with their big forward runners.

“We don’t want to be drawn into their type of game, so our three-quarter line will need a bit of flair and ambition to try things out and break the game up a little.

“The last thing I want is for us to go into our shells.

“It will be a case of playing as we normally do but, in the back of their minds, they will have my voice ringing in their ears to look after the ball.”

Influential number eight Kai Horstmann’s hamstring injury is less severe than first feared but will still keep him on the sidelines for four weeks.

Hill and Worcester forwards coach Phil Davies are now assessing the best candidate to replace Horstmann at the back of the pack. The Warriors boss added: “Kai has been one of our major ball-carriers, so we’ll miss that, and he’s also been very good in the dressing room with his captaincy.

“Dale Rasmussen captained us against Argentina and I was delighted with how he did that job, so he’ll do that role again.

“It’s not a straight choice between Adam Balding and Richard Muagututia for the number eight shirt, though, as we have Chris Jones and Matt Kvesic, who can both play there too.

“We’ve got to weigh up the line-outs, restart receipts, the breakdown and ball-carrying and decide who will be the best to come in.”