OSPREYS centre Tom Bowe has issued a warning to Worcester Warriors ahead of their trip to the Liberty Stadium tomorrow (3.05pm) in the EDF Energy Cup.

The Irishman will line up in midfield alongside Wales star Gavin Henson and has told all pretenders to their crown that it won’t leave Swansea without a fight.

“We are the reigning champions and anyone who comes to our backyard needs to look out because we are not going to give up anything easily,” Bowe warned.

But the former Ulster back knows that Worcester will provide a massive challenge.

“They have an amazing squad,” the Ulsterman said. “In guys like Rico Gear and Chris Latham, Worcester have world-class players.

“I have no doubt they are looking for big things and I would expect them to be targeting the EDF.

“We are going to obviously need to be at the top of our game against Worcester and we are confident we can do what’s required to get the result we are looking for.”

Warriors will go into this clash at the Liberty Stadium without their own wing sensation Miles Benjamin after he failed to recovery from a shoulder injury picked up in Bucuresti Oaks last Sunday.

Lock Greg Rawlinson will continue as skipper in the absence of the injured Pat Sanderson (quad), while Chris Latham starts at full-back.

Fly-half Matthew Jones returns to Swansea for the first time since the region released him in 2007 after overcoming a minor ankle injury, while fellow Welshman Ryan Powell is also named in Ruddock’s starting XV.

Having gone into the opening EDF Cup match on the back of two Premiership defeats, Worcester are now three games unbeaten and whoever wins tomorrow’s clash will be favourites to top Group ‘C’ and progress to the semi-finals.

“The last couple of games have been good for us,” said Warriors’ head coach Clive Griffiths. “I usually don’t like going into a tough game with a 50-60 pointers under our belts, but this time it has been a welcome relief.

“We have been able to put new things into practice and it worked for the most part. We scored 16 tries in two games.”

The Ospreys have left Wales skipper and back-rower Ryan Jones on the bench with prop Duncan Jones taking over the captaincy for the afternoon.

They are without centre Sonny Parker, scrum-half Mike Phillips and flanker Jonathan Thomas due to injury.

Ospreys: Byrne; Walker, Bowe, Henson, Williams; Hook, Webb; D Jones (capt), Bennett, Millward, Gough, Bateman, Smith, Tandy, Tiatia. Reps: Hibbard, A Jones, A W Jones, R Jones, Nutbrown, Biggar, Bishop.

Warriors: Latham; Gear, Grove, Tuitupou, Pennell; M Jones, R Powell; Mullan, Lutui, Taumoepeau, Rawlinson (capt), Gillies, Cox, Abbott, Talei. Reps: Morris, Ruwers, Kitchener, R Wood, M Powell, Crichton, Fellows.