WORCESTER'S fringe players look set for a European outing on Friday.

The Warriors travel to Headingley for their Euro Shield semi-final second leg tie with a nine-point advantage following their 43-34 first leg victory.

And players such as Duncan Roke, Neil Cole, Clive Stuart-Smith, Tommy Hayes, Neil Mason and Dylan Hartley all look set for run-outs as Worcester look to rest their big guns.

The Warriors are counting down to their final-day Premiership clash with Northampton at Sixways and are desperate to minimise injuries after forwards Tim Collier and Lee Fortey were recently ruled out of the campaign.

Prop Neil Lyman has been replaced from the Euro squad with youngster Hartley so he looks like making his first Worcester start before, ironically, making an expected move to Northampton.

Lock Richard Blaze is ineligible after not being registered in their squad of 34.

"We cannot make wholesale changes because of the squad size but, in many ways, we're pleased to have this game," said head coach Andy Keast.

"It stops people totally focusing on Northampton with still another week to go. People can accuse us of using the players who have not played much this season. However, they are professionals and they have contracts with the club.

"Players all want to play but I think most of them would accept that the Premiership performances in the second-half of the season have been of a good standard overall so changing the side around hasn't really been an option.

"We're all in this together and we've always said that it's very important to have the right characters in a squad because there will be times in a season where players are not involved.

"This game will be an opportunity, on a European stage, to show everyone what they can do."

Worcester, who finalise their team tomorrow, are assessing lock Phil Murphy's slight knock picked up during Sunday's defeat at Wasps.

Meanwhile, Worcester skipper Pat Sanderson has been nominated for a prestigious end-of-season award.

The Professional Rugby Players' Association player of the year will be presented in London next month and Sanderson is on the shortlist.

Sanderson, who is chairman of the PRA, has been nominated along with Martin Corry, Mark Cueto, Andy Goode and Sebastien Chabal.

In the young player category, the PRA has nominated Chris Bell, Matthew Tait, Ollie Smith, Harry Ellis and Matt Stevens.