ON-LOAN Luke Baldwin will find himself in the strange position of trying to down his employers when he comes off the bench at Sixways this afternoon.

The 29-year-old scrum-half arrived at the Dragons this summer on a short-term deal from Worcester.

In football it's rare for players to face their parent club but no such detail was put in the terms for Baldwin's move, which was rubber-stamped a month after the European Challenge Cup draw.

Instead the lively half-back will go up against the club where he is under contract for 2020/21.

When facing the media Baldwin was keen to avoid a 'point to prove' narrative but the stats suggest he would love to show his qualities with a strong cameo when replacing captain Rhodri Williams.

Baldwin joined Worcester from Bristol in 2015 but after making 34 appearances his Warriors career stalled last season.

He made just two outings with a half against Saracens in the Premiership Rugby Cup and eight minutes versus Stade Francais in the European Challenge Cup.

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When a summer approach came from his old Worcester boss Dean Ryan, Baldwin jumped at the chance to move to Rodney Parade.

"I got a call from Dean and he had spoken to my agent about the fact I wasn't playing an awful lot at Worcester," he said.

"He broached the possibility of me coming down here and they allowed me to come, it's brilliant because I worked with Dean and (defence coach) Simon Cross at Worcester.

"I love coming to work at the Dragons, it's a fresh new environment for me and everyone has made me feel so welcome. I am in a great state of mind and I am really enjoying myself."

"It sounds cliched but this was just about enjoying my rugby again after a difficult 12 months for various reasons."

Baldwin is on the bench at Sixways where he is joined by Wales hooker Elliot Dee, who is set for his first Dragons action of the season.

His fellow World Cup star Aaron Wainwright starts at blindside in one of eight changes to the side that lost to Zebre.

Ryan also brings in wing Ashton Hewitt, centres Tyler Morgan and Tom Griffiths, fly-half Sam Davies, scrum-half Williams, tighthead Leon Brown and flanker Ollie Griffiths.

The Warriors sit fourth in the Premiership after a strong start to the campaign but ring the changes for Europe.

"Worcester have a lot of good young players and they will be looking to put a marker down," said Baldwin.

"In that scenario they become quite good games because everyone has a point to prove and wants to do well.

"Worcester are a well-coached side by some of the guys there.

"In our defence we have to be a bit more physical because the structures are there in terms of our organisation.

"Our ethos is about work rate and being a team that really grafts. We want to play a fast, expansive game but the non-negotiable is that we work as hard as we can."

Worcester: N Heward, P Humphreys, O Lawrence, R Mills, N David, J Shillcock, M Heaney, R Bower, M Moulds, C Carey, A Kitchener, J Clegg, T Dodd, M Cox, GJ van Velze (captain). Replacements: I Miller, K Owen, R Palframan, J Scott, M Monks, J Kitto, G Simpson, C Pennell.​

Dragons: W Talbot-Davies, O Jenkins, T Morgan, T Griffiths, A Hewitt, S Davies, R Williams (captain), B Harris, R Hibbard, L Brown, J Davies, M Screech, A Wainwright, O Griffiths, T Basham. Replacements: E Dee, J Reynolds, A Jarvis, M Williams, H Taylor, L Baldwin, J Botica, A Warren.

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)