Warriors are not only taking on Bristol Rugby in their first game of the 2014/15 season, they are also competing for the prestigious All Party Parliamentary Rugby Union Group Premiership Rugby Community Award.
The Warriors Community department deliver coaching sessions and organise fixtures for residents at the Worcester YMCA through Warriors' Homeless RFC programme with the long-term aim to train people to become rugby coaches.
Warriors and Bristol have been shortlisted for the Play Award supported by the All Party Parliamentary Rugby Union Group. Both clubs are shortlisted for their commitment to developing the game of rugby at a grassroots level for men, women and children.
The awards, now in their ninth year, feature four different categories: the Play Award supported by the All Party Parliamentary Rugby Union Group, the BreakThru Award supported by TNT Express, the Community Impact Award supported by Aviva and, new for 2014, the Community Champion Award supported by Land Rover.
Play Award judge, and Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation strategic lead for fundraising and sport, Radha Balani, said: “Worcester's project is something that touches me through involvement in my personal life, and I really do understand how difficult it is to make an impact with homeless people.
“This is the first time I've seen rugby tackle it in the way Worcester have managed to.”
Paul Farrelly MP, officer of the All Party Parliamentary Rugby Union Group, said: “The commitment of the clubs to encourage people to be more active and to tackle local and national social problems like health, education and social change is extremely impressive.”
The winners will be announced at an award ceremony hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Rugby Union Group in the prestigious Members' Dining Room at the House of Commons on July 3.
The awards will be attended by a number of MPs, commercial partners and Rugby World Cup winner Jason Robinson.
To find out more about Premiership Rugby's community work, please visit www.premiershiprugby.com/community.