WORCESTER Warriors warmed up for next week’s Gallagher Premiership opener with an entertaining 25-20 win over Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens.

Tries from Joe Batley, Melani Nanai, Gareth Simpson, Jono Kitto and Alex Hearle secured an impressive win for the visitors, who showed what a threat they can be in attack.

The brilliance of Melani Nanai, who scored one audacious individual try and set up another for Gareth Simpson, was the highlight of a highly satisfactory work-out for Warriors.

The game was played over four quarters of 30 minutes, in order to give all players in the two squads a chance to gain valuable minutes with a week before the 2020/21 league campaign starts.

41 players made the trip to the East-Midlands and all featured at some point in the match, with the majority of the senior players involved in the first 60 minutes and the younger players getting an opportunity in the last 60.

In the opening period, Warriors managed to keep saints' scoreless and went into the short break with a 5-0 lead thanks to a fantastic solo try from Joe Batley, who swatted defenders aside on his way to the try-line from 30 metres out.

In the second quarter, Saints drew level swiftly after the restart when a 15-man maul was pushed over the line. No conversions or penalties were taken during the game, so it was only tries that counted, so the scores were 5-5 after just over half an hour.

But it was not long before Worcester restored their lead when Melani Nanai glided through the Saints defence to dot down after a flowing backs move.

Another driving maul ended in a Northampton try on 40 minutes but Nanai was again involved as his line-break and cross-kick found Gareth Simpson, who dived over to make it 10-15.

Although Northampton pulled level at 15-15 within three minutes of the start of the third period, Warriors were soon back in front when Chris Pennell set up Kitto for the try.

Alex Hearle popped up in a driving maul to claim the fifth try for Warriors and although Saints' full-back Tommy Freeman ghosted through for a score, Warriors’ solid defence sealed the win.