FOR the third game running, Mike Ruddock has switched his half-backs as Worcester Warriors prepare to take on London Irish at Sixways tonight (8pm).

Director of rugby Ruddock has elected to start the Guinness Premiership clash with Matt Powell and Loki Crichton behind the pack, despite leaving them out in favour of Ryan Powell and James Brown for last weekend's 36-15 defeat to Harle-quins at The Stoop.

Ruddock added that Samoan international fly-half Crich-ton, who has been criticised for his wayward goal-kicking in recent games, will again be the Warriors' place kicker.

However, Aussie stand-off Shane Drahm - the club's best kicker - has been re-called from a brief loan spell at National Division One side Launceston and is named on the replacements' bench.

The Warriors chief said: "With the league run-in we've got coming up as well as the prospect of more European matches, I was keen to give James Brown a run at Harle-quins.

"Loki Crichton will be on kicking duties - he has been practicing all hours - and we feel he offers us the best mix in both attack and defence.

"On balance of performance, we have played well with Loki at 10 and he has a good mix to his game which suits the way we want to play. He may miss a few kicks, but that is balanced out by the by the other things he provides.

"Shane Drahm is on the ben-ch as there is the posibility the game could come down to us needing a penalty or drop-goal to win, so it makes sense to have your best kicker in the squad."

Skipper Pat Sanderson has been declared fit after being forced off early in the Quins defeat, but prop Darren Morris again misses out with a stinger injury.

Young flanker Tom Wood is on the bench to provide cover in the back row as Netani Talei is ruled out with a knee injury.

The Exiles have been forced to turn to third-choice scrum-half Warren Fury after Paul Hodgson was drafted into the England squad, while Peter Richards is injured.

Injuries to Shane Geraghty and Eoghan Hickey mean that Nils Mordt and Mike Catt start at inside-centre and outside-half respectively.

Irish director of rugby Brian Smith said: "We meet Worces-ter for the fourth time this season and, while we'e had the better of the exchanges to-date, we're under no illusions about the difficulty of the challenge that awaits us at Sixways.

"The Warriors' league position belies a strong and talented team which Mike Ruddock is turning into an attacking force that can punish any opposition that is not at its best."

Meanwhile, there are less than 300 tickets left for to-night's match and they can be purchased by calling the ticket office on 08709-905650.

Warriors: Delport; Gear, Rasmussen, Tuitupou, Benjamin; Crichton, M Powell; Windo, Lutui, Taumoepeau, Rawlinson, Gillies, Hickey, Sanderson (c), Horstmann. Replacements: Ruwers, Mullan, Bowley, Wood, R Powell, Drahm, Garvey. London Irish: Hewat; Ojo, D Armitage, Mordt, Tagicakibau; Catt, Fury; Lea'aetoa, Coetzee, Rautenbach, Hudson, Casey (c), Roche, S Armitage, Thorpe. Replacements: Murphy, Paice, Skuse, Kennedy, Leguizamon, Stevenson, Tiesi.