TIM Collier is expected to make Worcester's crunch clash with Leeds on Friday.

The lock, who has been suffering with a pectoral muscle problem, only lasted 44 minutes of the Warriors' 28-16 defeat to Gloucester on Saturday.

That led to fears that the former London Welsh man had aggravated the injury and could miss Worcester's all-important relegation showdown with the Tykes.

However, head coach Andy Keast believes that Collier will be OK for the clash.

"We'll know more after today," said Keast. "However, I expect him to be OK for Friday. I don't think he's done any more damage to the injury.

"We could see at half-time at Kingsholm that he was struggling with the injury. He was sore but I don't believe he's made the injury worse."

Keast will today analyse the performance at Gloucester which included a wretched first-half display. Worcester were 21-6 down at half-time but hit back in the second to score a try and look a much more composed outfit.

"Some of the players looked like rabbits in the headlights in that first period," he said.

"We just didn't execute the game plan in the first-half but in the second, we played a lot better."

Fly-half James Brown endured a poor match but Keast will not react to supporters' criticisms of the player. Many have called for the recall of Tommy Hayes at 10 but the former British Lions coach will take a considered view.

"There will be no knee-jerk reaction," he said.

"Selection will, as always, be decided on the specific opposition and the players we have available to us. I will not criticise individual players and I thought James Brown ran things well in the second-half.

"Tommy Hayes is training well and there is always hope for players in the squad. Tommy's no different to anyone else in the 22. He's a very positive person."

Wing Paul Sampson missed Worcester's defeat at Gloucester after undergoing minor surgery on his shoulder.