ALL you need to know about the honesty within National One is embedded in Exeter's mindset for Saturday.

Rather than rolling out the red carpet for the champions-elect, the Chiefs are planning an ambush in Devon.

Worcester come to town on the brink of history after their 22 consecutive league victories. One more win will set a new National One record and could possibly also clinch their place in the Premiership.

If rivals Orrell lose out to Otley and Worcester can come away from the County Ground with four points, the title is theirs.

It promises to be some day, a battle royal between the class act of National One and the form side of the division. Exeter won 54-0 at Wakefield last weekend and according to Worcester's 'steady Eddie', Christian Evans, they're ready to spoil the Sixways promotion party.

"Like it or lump it, everyone hates Worcester," he said. "I've spoken to Tony Yapp (Worcester's former fly half) a couple of days ago and I know for a fact that their season now hinges on us.

"All they want to do is beat us and that will define their season. Worcester is the club to be hated because of the players, the fact that we are full-time, the money which has been poured in over the years and the facilities here.

"We love to play at Worcester but the flip side of that is that everyone else hates us for it. More than anything, when people play against Worcester, the players' CVs are on our coaches' desks and they want to make a name for themselves.

"Everyone hates us but we don't care!"

The bitterness is, of course, something which goes with the Sixways territory. Along with the attractive Worcester contract comes the understanding that your body will take a battering because of the jealousy within the game. It does, however, underline just what an achievement promotion would be for Worcester considering that every game they play is the opposition's cup final.

Evans has seen it all at Worcester -- from the depths of despair at Leeds and Rotherham to this season's euphoria at Orrell -- and for the man who seems to be universally respected within the game, the very thought of promotion brings an even bigger grin to his face.

"It's about controlling the excitement for me especially," added the 33-year-old.

"I've been at the club a while now and it's been the aim of everyone for so long. What we have to make sure is that we all maintain the focus because what a waste it would be if we slipped up now.

"Exeter away on Saturday is the perfect example of a game where we could well slip up if we are not focused properly. It is a very difficult place to go and I know that from experience because we never used to do very well down there."

Tantalisingly, promotion could, in theory, be completed within 72 hours and for Evans the achievement would be immense considering the improvement within National One this season.

"If you look at the league, the overall standard has risen each year," he said. "Look at teams such as Plymouth. They have come into the league and have made significant progress along with Orrell.

"The central point about winning promotion out of this league is to keep a core of players together and to build. The management here recognised that and it has given us the momentum this season."

It is a momentum which has seen them blow the rest of the league away and Evans has played a major part within a pack which is out on its own in terms of power and technique.

Undoubtedly the best in the league but the annual trek to the County Ground will test out that theory to the limit.

"There are a number of reasons why our pack has been so successful this season. Firstly, the continuity, secondly the coaching with John Brain and thirdly, the power training with Phil Richards," added Evans.

"We do spend a long time in training perfecting the forward play, it doesn't happen overnight! We could catch and drive in our sleep because we've worked on it so much!

"We'll be tested again at Exeter because the weather forecast is poor but we'd like to think that we have the quality to stand up to any test and come through it."

It is with some irony that Evans talks of the hatred surrounding Worcester. If the Warriors finally take the title on Saturday, nobody would begrudge him his moment of glory such is his standing in the game.

You have to suspect that the Chiefs may well forget about respect for those 80 minutes at the County Ground, however.