WORCESTER Warriors forwards must go “toe-to-toe” with Northampton Saints’ ball carriers or face being “steamrollered”.

Warriors back row Phil Dowson has called Saints “an injured beast” and believes Saturday’s meeting will be a “phenomenal occasion”.

Dowson played nearly 200 games for Saints before being brought to Sixways by then director of rugby Dean Ryan in the summer of 2015.

But Dowson is leaving Worcester at the end of the campaign to take up a coaching role at Northampton.

The 35-year-old is hoping Warriors can boost their Aviva Premiership survival hopes this weekend against Saints at Franklin’s Gardens.

Second-from-bottom Warriors picked up a precious try-scoring bonus point last Saturday from an action-packed 48-32 home defeat against high-flying Exeter Chiefs.

Saints fell to eighth in the table after letting slip a 24-15 half-time advantage in Sunday’s seven-try, 46-31 battering at Newcastle Falcons.

“It’s going to be an unbelievable game,” said Dowson, who played the full 80 minutes when Saints pipped Warriors 18-17 in November’s fixture at Sixways.

“I have no doubt that it should be flat out.

“Saints will have a lot of disappointment after the Newcastle game but Gary Gold has come in to Warriors and we’ve seen an immediate effect.

“I thought we were class in the Saracens game.

“It was hard to watch because, as a player, you want to be out there.

“We looked so organised and direct and up for it.

“There’s a huge amount of talent in the squad and now we’ve got direction from Gary.

“It was a 10-minute spell which cost us against Exeter who are a very good side but I definitely think things are looking up.

“The game this weekend against an injured beast will be a phenomenal occasion.”

Warriors are expecting a major challenge from Saints’ pack and Dowson believes it’s an area the visitors must get to grips with.

“The onus in on our tight five to go for it,” said Dowson, who has not made Warriors’ first two Premiership squads under Gold.

“We know they are going to come straight down the middle with big carriers and we know we will have to go toe to toe with them otherwise you will get steamrollered.

“It’s going to be physical and confrontational and when it gets like that you have to look at your big boys.”

Dowson believes Warriors are “in a good place” since the arrival of Gold as director of rugby earlier this month.

“I think the club is in a good place and I am hoping the next two games are really positive and we get decent wins,” he said.

“I think we are capable of doing it and hopefully we can get into a position that reflects the quality of the squad and the league table because currently I don’t think it does.”