HE may have taken on the All Blacks at Twickenham and captained an England touring side but Worcester skipper Pat Sanderson believes tomorrow's clash with Saracens is as big as any match he has played.
The flanker leads Warriors out for the last time this season in the sell-out encounter at Sixways (3.05pm) with the club's Premiership future very much in the balance.
"There is absolutely no question it is one of the biggest games I have ever played in," said Sanderson.
"The outcome is so important to so many people and I honestly believe it is as big a game as any of our players have played in.
"But it is on occasions like this you want to test yourself as a player."
If Worcester don't beat the Watford-based side, it means they will have to rely on events at Franklin's Gardens, where Northampton host London Irish. Paul Grayson's men are currently a point adrift at the bottom of the table but have a significantly inferior points difference.
Chairman Cecil Duckworth is confident the Worcester players will do enough to ensure fans won't need to reach for their calculators.
"I try not to get too nervous," he said. "We are optimistic. We have been playing well and won the last two games at home.
"We have a fully fit side and we have got 10,000 fans, most of whom will be supporting Worcester.
"We beat Saracens at their place and we beat them here last year so we are going for the win.
"The support has been fantastic. I don't want to let them down and I know the players and the coaching staff don't want to let them down. We are gearing up for a great occasion.
"In sport, you have to accept there are big games and this is one of the biggest we have had since two years ago when we were one of five sides that could have been relegated.
"The players responded well and hopefully that will be the case again."
On that occasion, Warriors beat Northampton but it was Harlequins who dropped out of the league.
A number of players remain from that day and Sixways director of rugby John Brain believes his side's experiences in high-pressure games can stand them in good stead for the Saracens clash.
"A lot of them have been in this situation before and we have been in a dogfight all season," said Brain.
"We probably always felt it was going to come down to the last game. The players are in a good, confident mood."
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