WORCESTER Warriors are set to face a selection ‘dilemma’ when they take on Northampton Saints just seven days before they face them in the Aviva Premiership.
The Sixways side are due to wrap up their pre-season fixtures with a trip to Northampton for a behind closed doors encounter against Jim Mallinder’s men on Friday, October 9.
However, director of rugby Dean Ryan said the clash, which was organised before the Aviva Premiership fixtures had been released, had left both sides in a difficult situation as they are set to lock horns at Sixways on Friday, October 16 in the season opener.
“I don’t know (what we are going to do),” he said. “It is a dilemma for both squads.
“Coming out of the Championship, you get given your pre-season fixtures because it is in June.
“We were given Wasps and Northampton and the chances of organising other fixtures around that is very slim because everyone else has done theirs.
“But that is just part of life coming out of the Championship.”
Worcester managed to set up a date with Barbarians earlier this month and will take on Saracens on Saturday, which Ryan admitted would be a chance for youngsters to stake their claim.
“The Saracens game is a development fixture, so there will be a lot of youngsters and under 23s involved,” he said.
“So lets not pretend that is going to be a full-blown fixture.
“I think Saracens are playing somebody on the same day as well, so they have got two squads out and they will very much look at it as a development fixture.”