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Peter Stringer made 39 appearances for Sale before being released at the end of the 2016-17 season

Worcester Warriors have signed veteran former Ireland international scrum-half Peter Stringer on a six-month deal.

Stringer, 39, who won 98 caps for Ireland between 2000 and 2011, comes in as cover for Francois Hougaard, who is on international duty with South Africa for the first half of the campaign.

He left Sale Sharks at the end of last season after two years with the club.

"I'm feeling as fit and ready as ever and am genuinely excited about getting back on the field," he said.

Stringer, who has also played for Munster and Bath, told BBC Sport in November of his desire to continue playing beyond the age of 40.

He will now be reunited with former Munster and Ireland team-mate Donncha O'Callaghan, the Warriors captain.

Stringer is Worcester's seventh signing, in preparation for the 2017-18 campaign. As well as their two arrivals from Northampton, prop Ethan Waller and fly-half Sam Olver, they have signed Bath and Scotland forward David Denton, while Wasps winger Tom Howe signed in January and Jersey forwards Pierce Phillips and Simon Kerrod agreed terms in February.