In a season punctuated by gloom and depression, Worcester have at last emerged from yet another tempestuous relegation battle, collecting 14 Premiership points and the Chabal-esque scalps of Sale, Leicester and Gloucester in the last four weeks. Although a 12th-place finish is still mathematically possible for Worcester, Leeds’s lengthening injury list and the 66-point drubbing by Saracens’ now appear to have ended their brave bid to remain in the league.

By contrast, the Warriors faithful are basking in the glow of victory and looking forward to seeing their side continuing its giant-slaying run of form against the likes of Wasps, Bath, Bristol and Newcastle, with the a 9th-place finish not beyond the realms of possibility.

2007’s star signings, who have all proved their worth since they first arrived, appear to have raised the games of those around them and a number of young academy players have also leapt on the band wagon. The Warriors await the arrival of Chris Latham and others next season and, despite the imminent departure of Shane Drahm, Drew Hickey and Thinus Delport to the Land Of The Rising Sun, there is a distinctly rosy ‘red sky at night’ over Worcester currently.

Looking back to the dark days of winter, when even a solitary victory against Bristol gave scant comfort, a faint glow of encouragement came during that time from Worcester’s success in the European Challenge Cup. Six straight victories and 36 tries raised the unbeaten Worcester to the top of Pool 2 and No.1 seed in the knock-out stage… which finally, patient reader, brings me round to Saturday’s quarter-final clash against Montpellier, from the balmy climes of France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region on the Mediterranean coast.

The two sides last met in the ECC in 2005/6, when Worcester won both encounters – 36-18 at Sixways and 21-31 in Montpellier, leaving the French side with only one win and out of the Cup.

Since then, four Montpellier players have been capped by France – hard-hitting flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo; scrum-half Julien Tomas; No.8 Louis Picamoles; and the immensely talented but temperamental stand-off, François Trinh-Duc, whose dangerous tackle against Connacht in December 2006 earned him a red card. However, Trinh-Duc’s injured rib and Tomas’s calf-strain have ruled both out of Saturday’s fixture.

French-born Italian full-back David Bortolussi, best remembered for missing the crucial penalty kick against Scotland that ended Italy’s quarter-final aspirations in the 2007 World Cup, and Argentinean stand-off, Frederico Todeschini, awarded Man of the Match in Argentina’s 25-18 defeat of England at Twickenham in November 2006, are also key players.

Despite losing 49-6 at Edgeley Park, Montpellier were runners-up to Sale Sharks in Pool 1, but with only 12 tries, four wins and a controversial draw with Sale in the return match. A dramatic Luke McAlister injury-time penalty kick appeared to have won the game for the visitors. However, after lengthy consultations through headphones with the video ref, the referee ruled against it.

Montpellier have won 8 times from 16 league games so far in France’s ‘Top-14’ this season, giving them a creditable 9th place, but a recent 14-6 loss away to Montauban, Worcester’s ECC home-and-away victims, is evidence of their unconvincing current form, particularly away from home and during Six Nations absences. (Coral tend to agree and have Montpellier 50-1 to win the ECC and Worcester 5-1.)

A Warriors victory on Saturday would see them through to a home semi-final slot against Newcastle or Castres at the end of April, and Mike Ruddock’s boys will have their thoughts focused on continuing their new-found form. Warrior’s supporters, recently praised by the DoR for the passion of their support against Gloucester, are also fully aware of their role in turning the temperature up on Saturday’s eagerly awaited fixture – from warm spring glow to scorching heat-wave intensity.

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