LOCK Donncha O’Callaghan admits Worcester Warriors must overcome the “people’s team” to extend their club-record Aviva Premiership winning streak.

The ex-Ireland and Munster star has been cheering for Exeter Chiefs in the European Champions Cup and believes Saturday’s trip to Sandy Park (3pm) will be a mighty test.

Warriors have won five of their last six matches and secured a record fourth successive Premiership triumph by edging basement side London Irish 12-6 at Sixways at the weekend.

But Chiefs have lost just once at home in the top tier this term and lie second after Saturday’s 36-18 defeat at table-topping Saracens.

“Exeter are a quality team and the people’s team at the moment,” said O’Callaghan, who celebrated his 37th birthday last Thursday.

“Everyone wants to see Exeter do well and I shout out for them in Europe.”

Warriors were beaten 30-15 by Chiefs at Sixways at the end of January but it’s not inconceivable the hosts might have one eye on their European quarter-final trip to Wasps on April 9.

O’Callaghan said: “I like what Exeter are about and what they stand for. They are a benchmark for us.

“Exeter have done an incredible job since being promoted to the Premiership and are the flagship for the rest of us to test ourselves against.”

Cork-born O’Callaghan, who made more than 250 appearances in 17 years at Munster, has been a huge part of Warriors’ Premiership campaign.

He has played in all 18 of Warriors’ league matches as they sit 10th in the table and 16 points better off than bottom club Irish.

“I know four wins in a row in the Premiership is a really hard thing to do because there’s quality teams throughout the league and we’re delighted with it,” said O’Callaghan.

“But there’s part of you that says that statistic suggests it is not good history and you want to blow it out of the park to create your own history. That’s what we’re all talking about.

“As a group, we believe we can go out every week to improve and get better and records like that need to be pushed on because sometimes history can hold you back.

“We got swamped into a dogfight at the bottom of the table but we need to keep improving and getting better.”

O’Callaghan, who won 94 caps for Ireland, picked up his first man-of-the-match award for Warriors against the Exiles.

“For me, the man of the match was Chris Pennell,” said O’Callaghan. “When it came to the big moments, he was great.

“But I am happy to take the award on behalf of the front five. I am a non-drinker so the champagne is wasted on me but I am sure my wife and her family will enjoy it.”

Warriors were given a tough examination by an Irish side, who are fighting for their lives and involved in a relegation shoot-out with Newcastle Falcons.

“It was a tough game and character-building,” said O’Callaghan.

“They are not great games to play in and are a little bit ugly but you have to win them and that’s what good teams do.

“I am sure we will take a lot of confidence from winning ugly.

“We were massively disappointed with how we did, as a pack of forwards, against Irish earlier in the season.

“Sometimes, you need a bit of the rub of the green and I think we had that at the weekend — but it hasn’t always gone our way.”