Former England Deaf international Matt Gilbert and Worcester Warriors backs and transition coach Jonny Goodridge have come out of retirement to help the club start their Premiership Rugby Cup defense against Gloucester later on Wednesday.
Crisis club Worcester are looking for new owners after they were served with a winding-up notice over unpaid taxes in August that is reportedly worth more than £6million ($6.81million).
Gilbert and Goodridge were named on the bench in Worcester’s 22-man squad for Wednesday night’s trip to Kingsholm Stadium.
Flanker Gilbert retired from playing at the end of last season in April to run his own pizza business. The 37-year-old last played for Worcester in 2016.
Gilbert is one of five guest players on the team’s gameday roster, joining lock Ollie Curry, Lewis Barrett and Ethan Parkins from the back row, and backup hooker Will Tanner.
Goodridge has returned to play competitive rugby after nine years, after the 41-year-old pensioner spent six seasons at full-back at Gloucester and also played for Leeds Carnegie and Bristol before moving into coaching.
Worcester won the Premiership Rugby Cup last season after beating London Irish in the final.
($1 = 0.8813 pounds)