WARRIORS will go into Thursday’s vital Amlin Challenge Cup clash with Perpignan at Sixways in a positive frame of mind, according to head coach Richard Hill.

The Worcester chief felt his side had let themselves down with their performances in recent defeats at Wasps and Exeter.

However, although they slipped to a 22-19 loss at Harlequins on Friday, Hill believes he saw a new side to his players at The Stoop and feels they are back on track.

Five points from back-to-back games against the Aviva Premiership’s top two teams has seen Worcester move onto 20 points from 10 league games – well in touch with the top half of the table.

Assessing the season so far, Hill said: “We had a disappointing spell in the middle. We started off like a train and played some really good rugby when the weather was good.

“We hit a barrier and dipped, but the last two games we have started to pick up points again, so I am pleased. We went through a blip and that was annoying - Wasps and Exeter away were disappointing.

“But the effort of the last two games has shown we are back on track and looking forward to Perpignan in Europe now.

“Over these two games, we would have taken one win over Saracens and a bonus point down at Harlequins. We are back on track.”

New Warriors recruit Euan Murray was introduced to the action sooner than anticipated as fellow tighthead John Andress limped out late in the first-half with a leg injury.

While the Scotland international didn’t pull up any trees in his first outing in Worcester coulours, Hill felt it was a positive start and said the prop will improve as he settles into the club.

He said: “We pitched Euan in at the deep end. He hardly knows the players and certainly doesn’t know the calls and the way we try and play.

“He has been thrown in, but it was good for him to get 40 minutes and we will look to see him get better and better in the coming weeks.

“John has a sore knee. He was landed on and he couldn’t weight-bear on it, so James Percival told him get off because we had Euan Murray on the bench. I genuinely don’t know what he has done yet, we will have to wait and see how serious that is.”