ALISTAIR Murdoch is hoping for a huge favour from his former club Bedford tomorrow as he bids to lead his side to victory at Wakefield.

The Worcester Rugby Club skipper is banking on a "Herculean" performance from the Blues when they play host to second placed Leeds at Goldington Road.

Worcester are nine points clear at the top of National One but the Yorkshire side now have two games in hand and are the form team in the league.

However, Murdoch, who was Bedford coach last season, has been in touch with his former players this week to wish them good luck.

He said: "We could obviously do with them doing us a big favour but it will be a Herculean effort to knock over Leeds because they are the form team at present.

"Bedford are in a bit of slump at the moment after a few bad results and they have also been hit by injuries. However, I know what the crowd is like down there and they will definitely be up for the game.

"I have spoken to the players this week and wished them all the best!"

Leeds, who this week lost former World Cup winning prop Dan Crowley for the rest of the season after the Australian flew back Down Under for family reasons, would leapfrog Worcester to the top of the league with two bonus point victories.

However, with Worcester due to face Leeds at Headingley on April 1, Murdoch believes Worcester are still in a good position to take the title and promotion to the Zurich Premiership.

"We have reacted well this season when the pressure has been on. The Leeds game is the big one and I think the side will really be up for it."

The captain, who returns to the line-up tomorrow after missing Sunday's 30-18 win over Waterloo with influenza, knows that Worcester need to raise their standards in the coming months to keep up their title challenge.

"We need to regain a level of consistency in our play. We had two good wins against Henley and Exeter but then we let ourselves down against Waterloo.

"However, the boys are really looking forward to Wakefield and hopefully we can get back to our best."