SPRING Lane is the venue on Saturday as Worcester RFC and Malvern RFC go head-to-head in a local derby in the Regional 2 West Midlands division.

With the season coming to a close, both sides will be keen to finish strongly after suffering indifferent campaigns.

Malvern had looked like they were going to push for the title at Christmas after going on a nine-match winning run, but six defeats since the turn of the new year has put a rather abrupt end to those hopes.

Vern have suffered some heavy losses in recent weeks; shipping 40+ points in three of their last four games in the league and have dropped down to seventh in the table.

As for Worcester, they have struggled with consistency in 2023. They started the year with a narrow win over Evesham, but were thrashed by Walsall the next week before a one-point win over Whitchurch. 

They have then won two and lost two in their last four, including a tight defeat at home to Stratford Upon Avon last weekend. 

Worcester will also feel they owe Malvern one, after the 16-12 defeat at Westons Fields back in November.

Two monster Dan Batty penalties late on won the game for Malvern, but the hosts on Saturday are a way off the form they were showing back at the end of 2022, so this looks to be the perfect time for Worcester to strike and leapfrog Malvern into seventh.

After this, both sides have two games left in the season. Worcester hosts Crewe & Nantwich next Saturday, before concluding their campaign at Hereford.

As for Malvern, they host league leaders and probable champions Old Halesonians next Saturday before the already-relegated Droitwich visit on the final day.