WORCESTER Warriors have received a triple boost ahead of Friday night's Gallagher Premiership showdown with Northampton Saints at Sixways (7.45pm).

Captain and number eight Gerrit-Jan van Velze, scrum-half Francois Hougaard and flanker Sam Lewis are all set to return to action after recovering from their injuries.

Hougaard and Lewis have not played since Warriors’ 20-13 win over Harlequins three weeks ago due to a knee injury and hamstring issue respectively.

Director of rugby Alan Solomons said: “They should be fine for selection.

“Both of them are in training this week so it will be good to see them back in action."

Solomons said he chose not to risk the key duo in last Saturday’s 23-7 European Challenge Cup triumph against Pau which was blighted by bad weather.

“It would have been too early for both of them,” Solomons said.

“Sammy had a hamstring issue and it was felt that giving him the additional week’s rest would have been the right thing to do.

“I think it was the right thing to do, particularly as the conditions turned out like they did.

“I went to referee Ian Davies to thank him for the game afterwards and he was shaking as he was so cold.

“He was freezing so it would have been better for Sammy not to play and there was no question of Francois playing.

“He needed that additional week too.”

Van Velze, who has penned a new two-year deal this week, overcame a shoulder injury to play against Gloucester only to suffer a set-back and be forced off at half-time in the 36-16 loss at Kingsholm.

The 30-year-old was then ruled out of Worcester’s back-to-back European clashes against Pau.

“GJ is fine,” Solomons said.

“He has trained all week and is available for selection.

“All sides want to be pretty much at full strength going into games.

“It’s not always possible because the season is attritional so you are going to get injuries.

“But it will be grand to have all of them back.”