MIKE Ruddock has ruled Hal Luscombe out of Sunday’s Guinness Premiership showdown at Saracens but hopes to have him available for the Sixways rendez-vous with Bourgoin on December 13.

The former Wales international centre has not figured for Worcester since joing from Harlequins in the summer following knee surgery but the Warriors director of rugby is confident his recovery is all-but-complete.

Ruddock said: “Hal won’t make the squad for Saracens but he dropped into his first out-and-out rugby session this week, so we’re really pleased with that.

“He came through without any problems at all and it was a very pro-active session in that there was a lot of skills work, contact area work, clearing out bodies around the breakdown and work on the bags.

“That’s the hardest part over for him now — the rehab — and he can get into full training and look to get involved over the next couple of weeks, probably against Bourgoin at home.

“Hal is a quality player and I’ve been lucky to work with him in the past at Newport Gwent Dragons and in the Wales set-up.

“I think he is a great talent, obviously he’s had this injury set-back but he’ll be keen to get back and show the Warriors supporters what a good player he is.

“He’ll also be highly motivated to get back into the Welsh team. It will take him a run of three or four games to get back into form after such a time out but I’m sure he’ll do that and there’s no doubt he’ll add to the squad.”