JAMES Brown has returned to training as Warriors step up their preparations for Saturday's critical Guinness Premiership encounter with Saracens.

The fly-half required an injection after a scan revealed fluid on a tendon in his foot but he is making good progress and is expected to line up at Sixways.

Worcester's only other fitness worry is prop Chris Horsman who had a scan after complaining of neck trouble.

"James Brown trained so that's a good sign," said the club's director of ruby John Brain. "I think there is every chance he will be fit for the weekend providing he doesn't get a reaction.

"Chris Horsman has got a little bit of a neck issue. It is just something that is causing us a little bit of concern."

Question marks over the fitness of the Welsh international are bound to cause anxiety as Worcester prepare to face a fearsome Saracens pack on the day their Premiership fate will be decided.

But the news from the rest of the camp is good with centre Gary Trueman and prop Tony Windo both expected to be fit.

While Saracens and Northampton spent yesterday recovering from bruising cup ties in their respective European competitions, Brain's players were able to get stuck into a training session after a rest weekend.

"The fact we didn't have a game at the weekend has given us a little more time to prepare," said Brain. "We wouldn't have been able to run the session we did yesterday if we'd have had a game."

Saints are just one point behind Warriors at the bottom of the table and their build-up to a weekend meeting with London Irish has not been helped by a 30-13 defeat to Wasps in Sunday's Heineken Cup semi-final.

Saracens were in European Challenge Cup action on the same day, losing 31-30 to Bath at Vicarage Road.

But Brain insists his side's task has not been made any easier by the two clubs' involvement in European competition.

"I'm not worried about Northampton because we have got to worry about what we are doing," he said.

"That was quite a hard game for Saracens but they have got a big squad and I don't think that will put them at too much of a disadvantage."

Northampton's former Warriors academy hooker Dylan Hartley will find out tonight if he is available to play London Irish when he appears before a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel.

He faces charges of eye-gouging three Wasps players in the Premiership meeting between the two clubs nine days ago.