BEN Hinshelwood is relishing being at the centre of Worcester's challenge to continue their improbable rise up the Premiership table.

The Australian-born Scot has been drafted into the middle following the knee injury to Dale Rasmussen. It is a familiar role for the versatile Warriors star and he is happy to plug the gap.

"I don't mind where I play," he said. "It looks like I might be playing a bit more at 13. I've played most of my rugby at outside centre."

Hinshelwood started the season on the wing but moved inside for Saturday's Powergen Cup match at Leicester, when he also captained the team.

In that game, which Worcester lost 42-16, the 28-year-old became only the second back this season to score a try for Worcester.

But Hinshelwood is confident that the backs, under the guidance of head coach Anthony Eddy, are beginning to gell.

"There's a few new guys and it always takes a bit of time," he said. "It would be great if it didn't. It always takes a little while for everyone to settle in.

"If we can get the same players out on the park for a few weeks at a time, you know what the next guy is going to do and you can play off each other."

Hinshelwood thinks that re-newed competition for places following the arrival of Tongan wing Aisea Havili at Sixways will give the team a new dimension and provide plenty of healthy competition.

He said: "We played against him in pre-season and he looked pretty sharp. It's going to be good to have him involved. We are quite a small squad so to boost the squad with a player of his quality is good for everyone."

Hinshelwood worked under Eddy at the start of his career in Australia and thinks the 39-year-old coach can help Warriors develop a more expansive game.

"He's got new ideas," said Hinshelwood. "He's very keen for us to move the ball about and he focused a lot on different skills around the breakdown and in the tackle and moving the ball. It's been good for us this year.

"Our results have been good and I think we are starting to play some more rugby as well. It's always going to take a little while for the ideas of a new coach to bed in but he hasn't tried to change too much.

"I think we are starting to play some good rugby and understand each other and what we are doing."

Hinshelwood, who has been training with the Scotland squad this week, is in no doubt about the size of the task facing Worcester tonight when they take on Leeds at Sixways.

"This is huge," he said. "We are disappointed with what happened at Wasps and Northampton as well. But we've got the chance to put everything right on Friday night with a good performance and hopefully a win as well.

"All the guys who had time off last week will be raring to go and there will be a big crowd behind us as well."