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Neil Best played 18 times for Ireland. David Davies/PA Archive
Exiles

Green Pastures: Neil Best and Worcester eye European silverware

The former Ulster flanker and his Warriors side take on Perpignan tonight.

NEIL BEST AND his Worcester Warriors teammates face the first test of their European season tonight with the arrival of Perpignan at Sixways.

The Top 14 and Premiership sides have, so far, handed out heavy beatings to Rovigo and Gernika in the Amlin Challenge Cup but the time for cricket-score rugby is over.

Best told TheScore.ie, “Perpignan are starting to come good in the Top 14 at the minute.

“The have James Hook and Luke Charteris [of Wales] back and they have a good pack. Even if we win at home we’ll have to beat them away to get into the knock-out stages.”

With Warriors currently in ninth place in the Premiership, winning the Amlin Cup looks the more likely route into next season’s Heineken Cup but there is a long way to go.

Battling back

Best, who played seven seasons for Ulster before a move to England in 2008, only returned to action six weeks ago following a pre-season infection to an injured knee.

“I was in hospital for two weeks and lost 12 kilos of body weight,” he said. “It was a bit of a struggle getting back from that.

“The year before I broke my arm in a tackle so I’m hoping for a clear run.”

Away form has been the killer for Warriors so far this season but they have only lost one fixture at home. Their most recent league game at Sixways was a 12-3 triumph over second-placed Saracens. Best said:

That’s what it takes to climb the league – win your home games and snatch a few away. We want to create a winning atmosphere at home and make it a fortress.”

One player that may help in the fortress-building at Worcester is flanker Matt Kvesic, 20.

“I’ll be stunned if he doesn’t play for England in the next 18 months,” he declared. “He has power, pace, great footwork, an understanding of the game and can play across the back row.”

Despite the arrival of a new back row dynamo, Best is hoping to be part of Warriors’ future for the next few years.

“I hope so,” he said, “I’ve got three kids to feed.

“My family is here now. This is my home.”

Elsewhere in Europe

Ian Humphreys and Brian Blaney will be in action for London Irish in the Amlin Cup as they take on Shane Monahan’s Gloucester on Saturday.

In the Heineken Cup, Exeter Chiefs are away to Scarlets in Wales. The Chiefs should feature Ian Whitten, Gareth Steenson and captain Tom Hayes at Parc y Scarlets.

Mark McCall takes his Saracens side to Limerick to play Munster while Conor O’Shea’s Harlequins are in Italy to play Zebre and Michael Bradley’s Edinburgh are away to Racing Metro.

Cillian Willis and Tony Buckley will be hoping to get Sale Shark’s second European win of the season when they host Toulon on Saturday.

Robin Copeland and Cardiff will look to get off the mark at home to Montpellier. Leicester Tigers’ captain Geordan Murphy and winger Niall Morris will line out at Welford Road and welcome Benetton Treviso.

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