AVIVA Premiership giants Leicester Tigers are reported to be lining up a swoop for Worcester Warriors’ highly-rated duo Mike Williams and Sam Vesty.

The Tigers are understood to be keeping tabs on powerful ball-carrier Williams, who made 25 appearances for Warriors in the Premiership last season.

Leicester are believed to have spoken to coach Vesty about making a return to Welford Road as the club’s new head of academy.

But a Warriors spokesman says it’s the club’s policy not to comment on any speculation.

Williams is a firm favourite at Sixways after joining from Vodacom Super Rugby franchise the Blue Bulls. He is a big ball-carrying second row or flanker who has made eight appearances for Warriors this term.

The 23-year-old Bulawayo-born forward has made an impressive start to Warriors’ Greene King IPA Championship campaign.

Williams was the runner-up in the inaugural Greene King IPA Championship player-of-the-month award for September. He has also overcome a knee injury which he suffered in September after a collision that led to him being stretchered off with concussion against Nottingham.

Due to an ancestry visa via his late grandfather on his mother’s side, Williams is an English qualified player who will be able to apply for a British passport.

Vesty is Warriors’ transitional coach and has just guided Worcester Cavaliers into the semi-finals of the Aviva A-League.

The former England back spent eight seasons playing for his home town club of Leicester before moving to Bath in 2010.

Vesty retired from playing in July 2013 to join the coaching staff at Warriors and is highly rated by the club’s director of rugby, Dean Ryan.

Tigers are looking to replace Neil McCarthy who departed the club last month after more than seven years at the club.

Warriors’ Ofa Fainga’-anuku is appearing before an RFU disciplinary hearing in Coventry tonight.

Fainga’anuku has been charged with committing a dangerous tackle in Warriors’ match against Munster ‘A’ earlier this month in the British and Irish Cup.