Bristol Rugby will come face to face with Aussie ace Chris Latham at Worcester on Saturday - and rue the fact he could have been running out in Blue and white.
The Australian international, widely recognised as one of the best full backs in the world, joined the Warriors last summer but only after considering a very healthy offer from Bristol.
The club were reported to have put a £350,000-a-year contract on the table to tempt the four-time Super 12 Player of the Year into Test retirement before Worcester jumped the queue for his signature, Sixways proving the bigger draw.
And the Wallabies’ second-highest try scorer, and veteran of three World Cup Finals, has recovered from a recent injury in time for what could turn out to be a cricital bottom-of-the-table clash.
"He's an outstanding player,” said Bristol head coach Richard Hill. “It's typical he's fit for us. It's like Jonny Wilkinson. He always comes back for Newcastle just at the time Bristol play them.
“He cost them an absolute fortune but I think he's one of the overseas players who has contributed to that club. You can see that everybody gets a buzz off him and plays a lot better around him.
"We did talk to him to come to Bristol at one stage but Worcester beat us to the punch unfortunately. He's someone I would have very much liked to be here.”
Worcester have spent heavily in their bid to break into the top six of the Guinness Premiership. As well as Latham they have added All Blacks Rico Gear and Greg Rawlinson yet remain in the wrong half of the table, two results away from another relegation battle.
“They've always been a team threatened with relegation,” said Hill. “They've done well to battle out of it and they've spent a huge amount of money. But they find themselves in the bottom six again and dragged into almost a relegation battle.
"It's a crucial time for them and a lot of pressure on them as they've got us and then after Christmas they've got Newcastle at home. They've got to win these two home games because you can imagine if they lost these next two home games they're suddenly right in it as the rest of the fixture list looks pretty grim.”
Bristol winger Lee Robinson was behind a much improved second-half performance against Northampton last weekend which gave Hill renewed hope.
"(Hill) doesn't give out too much praise to me,” revealed Robinson. “But when it does come it’s very satisfying.
“We had a good telling off at half time and it made the difference really,” added Robinson, who hopes to start on Saturday at Sixways against a side which has undergone significant change.
“Worcester are a very physical well-drilled team but recently they've added a lot of superstars to their side,” he said. “I think they're more of a handfull than we used to perceive them as.
“We've got a World Cup winner and a few internationals here though. The scalp is definitely there for the taking."
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