IF WORCESTER could achieve their first victory at Sale tonight, there won't be a bigger smile on show than the one wrapped around Andy Keast's face.

To put it mildly, the Sixways head coach isn't exactly Sale Director of Rugby Phillipe Saint-Andre's biggest fan and vice-versa.

Their rivalry goes back to 2001 when the then backs coach left Gloucester after the Frenchman apparently took a dislike to the former British Lions man.

Three years ago at Kingsholm and the atmosphere in the camp wasn't exactly harmonious to the point that the Gloucester players reportedly held a meeting to discuss the tense relationship between Saint-Andre and Keast.

At the time, Phil Vickery stepped into the media spotlight to reveal the conflict and lament the resultant departure of Keast. "I'm disappointed to see Andy Keast go," he said. "Unfortunately if people don't get on they have to move on. There has been a problem with Philippe and Keasty -- that's not a secret. We had a players' meeting and put our points to Philippe. Then Tom Walkinshaw (the Gloucester owner) made a decision."

Back then, Keast had his own verdict on his exit: "People have said it was a clash of personalities, but I was not allowed to get that close."

Then, on his Worcester arrival, he revealed his treatment under Saint-Andre.

"I didn't want to stay around after Saint-Andre decided to come out of his office and on to the training field," he said.

"I was not prepared to be in meetings, which were conducted in French, when I'm English and I can't speak the language. I've got no gripes about it though."

Throw in ex-Worcester captain Kingsley Jones, who took great exception to being dropped by Keast and John Brain during his Sixways spell, and you have a potentially explosive cocktail off the field.

The former Welsh international flanker is now Saint-Andre's assistant coach at Edgeley Park.

"I've got a good relationship with Phillipe," said Brain, Worcester's director of rugby. "But it always makes it that bit sweeter if you can put one over somebody you know well. I certainly know how his mind works after working with him for two years. Phillipe knows myself and Andy so he won't make the mistake of underestimating us."

On the field, the Warriors confirmed their team yesterday after late changes to the line-up. Thomas Lombard switches to centre alongside Ben Hinshelwood, following Gary Trueman's shoulder injury, while Ben Gollings returns on the wing. Craig Gillies takes his place in the side and Colin Noon comes in at tight-head after Lee Fortey went down with 'flu.

Team: Delport; O'Leary, Hinshelwood, Lombard, Gollings, Brown, Cole; Windo, Daly, Noon, Collier, Gillies, Hickey, Sanderson, MacLeod-Henderson. Replacements: Sparks, Van Niekerk, Mason, Murphy, Stuart-Smith, Rasmussen, Roke.