The last time Wasps came to Sixways they were assailed not just by the 15 men that stood on the other side of a frosted pitch, but by an entire club.

Coaches, reserves, supporters, officials, mascots, in fact a whole city, poured their hearts and souls into repelling the might of the marauding English champions.

The subsequent 27-24 victory was a triumph, not just for David over Goliath, but for every one of the 8,000 home fans who made that chilly November night such a memorable one.

Those Worcester faithful get the chance to indulge in a spot of nostalgia tonight when Ian McGeechan's men - they're still champions - come calling once more.

Another Friday night, another Premiership fixture distorted by international call ups and another opportunity to rub a few illustrious noses into the dirt.

Of course, their motivation was a lot different then. Worcester were top-flight newcomers and fighting for their lives; now they sit apparently safe in seventh place with nearly enough points to be sure of surviving.

And even though their ambitions are loftier these days, according to club captain Pat Sanderson, the significance of this match is just as high.

"Beating them last year was a massive win for us. It gave us an awful lot of belief and four much-needed points," Sanderson said.

"But in some respects this game is equally important. What happens from here on in is going to be vital.

"We have changed our view and expectations from last year, but apart from that, we play them again in a very, very similar situation."

The England openside is referring to his team's hopes of finishing in the top half of the table and thereby qualifying for the prestigious Heineken Cup.

Earlier in the season, they went about that process with impressive efficiency. Six wins from their first nine matches suggested they wouldn't just make it into the top half-dozen, but they might even finish in one of the four championship play-off places.

Yet things have taken something of a nose-dive since then. Just one success from their last seven attempts has left Worcester not fearing for their necks, but concerned at the closing shadow of the chasing pack.

A disappointing defeat at Leeds last time out negated the good work put into taking a loss bonus from Leicester the week before and it as much a indictment of their recent struggles as the vagaries of the fixture list that they have failed to win a league game at Sixways since November 18.

That's not what Sanderson and his team are used to and so they have spent the last two weeks since Headingley preparing for tonight's encounter.

"We are a tight bunch and we know the magnitude of the task ahead," he said. "We have not found much form lately, so we have worked hard together and are not lacking in confidence. The harder it gets, the harder we try. "We are not just building for this season, we are building for the next, the next and the years after that but, from the perspective of short-term goals and the standards we have set ourselves, Friday night is vital."

Rather less so for Wasps, though, given they are safely ensconced into the top four - they lie second, nine points clear of Leicester in fifth. But they will be without six England internationals and two players away with Ireland.

With Matt Dawson, Josh Lewsey, Lawrence Dallaglio, Joe Worsley, Simon Shaw and Tom Voyce in Paris and Johnny O'Connor and Eoin Reddan facing Scotland, they could be there for the taking - just as they were last season.

Sanderson doesn't draw much comfort from their absence: "The top sides have good players throughout the squad," he said.

"If a player goes off to play in an international, another international comes off the bench. We played Leicester on a weekend when England were playing and they still had nine internationals in the side."

Worcester have their own selection concerns. Sanderson will miss the game because of his ongoing back problem that puts an end to his hopes of playing in this year's Six Nations. Tom Harding slots in at flanker.

James Brown's failure to shake off a hamstring injury means he misses out once more, while Andre van Niekerk needs more conditioning work after a long-term shoulder injury.

Nicolas Le Roux returns at full-back with Thinus Delport dropping to the bench and Andy Gomarsall gets his latest opportunity to make the scrum-half position his own.