WE were all delighted with the mauling of the Lions on Saturday. It certainly gave us a boost to score 11 tries against Rugby and end up convincing winners. After such a difficult couple of weeks, I think it's safe to say we are back on track now.

We started quite slowly in the match but the encouraging factor was that we kept on going and amassed 67 points by the end.

This season we have tended to start well and maybe dip a little at the end but, against Rugby, we finished very strongly and it was nice to see. The only down side to it was that we picked up a couple of injuries after only just getting two players back! It must drive coaches crazy!

Our injury problems have been well documented in the past month and I was relieved to see Richard Bates and Richard Nias back in the side against Rugby. After that, though, Gary Trueman had to come off after injuring his shoulder and then I managed to break my finger. I'll finish a match one day!

Obviously I've been careful in training this week -- the cold weather hardly helps such an injury! However, I'm keeping my good fingers crossed that I'll be OK for Birmingham & Solihull.

The match offers us a real test of character because we know all about their pack and I think they have made great strides this season. They are coming off the back of a few defeats so they will have something to prove at home, no doubt.

Birmingham & Solihull also have two ex-Worcester players in Nathan Carter and Nick Baxter. They will both be desperate to prove to all that they are still top players in this division. I know Nathan was here last year and just failed to win a contract so he will be determined to make a point to John Brain and Andy Keast. We already know, with the return of Alistair Murdoch, Tony Yapp and Dave Sims when Exeter came to Sixways, that ex-players can be a handful. They carry with them that extra five or 10 percent on the day. What also makes it interesting is that their coach -- Phil Maynard -- used to be the Worcester boss!

However, we are relishing the challenge. We don't see opposition teams as something to worry about. We prepare for them and do our homework but we certainly won't fear them. Playing against good opposition is what it's all about and we know they are that because they are the only side this season to take a point off Rotherham. I suppose if you look at it that way then, with home advantage, they should be favourites.

It is a derby game and we all know just how competitive they tend to be. The battle will be won up front and after Saturday's top effort -- I'm backing our forwards to punch their weight. They were relentless at Sixways and totally out-scrummaged Rugby. It was great to see and showed that all the hard work with John Brain had paid off. Our backs scored a few tries but the forwards deserve so much credit because they've come back very well after taking some stick following Rotherham.

People have written us off after that game but if you actually look at the bigger picture -- 40 minutes of poor rugby in South Yorkshire doesn't make you all bad players. We know we are capable of winning this league and although Rotherham was a setback we have bounced back well.

I think we are in good shape as we look forward to our final two games of 2002. We have this game on Saturday and then an end-of-year day out at Leicester. But we are fully focused on our trip to Sharmans Cross Road. It will be tough but mark my words -- Worcester are back.