New recruit Neil Best has revealed the battle for starting shirts at Sixways is already underway – admitting that no-one is an automatic starter for Worcester Warriors in the opening weeks of the Championship season.
Belfast-born Best, a tough-tackling and uncompromising flanker, is eager to make his mark at Warriors since his summer switch from Northampton Saints.
The 31-year-old is already proving a popular member of the new-look squad under Head Coach Richard Hill and admits he has quickly settled into his new surroundings.
The Ireland international has played at the very highest level for club and country, but remains fired up and focused by the task ahead next season for Warriors.
And Best admits the fight for a first team spot is set to be a red-hot one with new Sixways chief Hill insisting that every player starts on the same footing and must prove their worth and put their hand up for selection.
“I don’t differentiate between one match and the next – European matches in the Heineken Cup, international matches for Ireland or World Cup matches are all 15 men against 15 men,” said Best.
“I give everyone the respect they are due and you can only play the people that are put in front of you.
“My intention is to be totally professional in every game I play – I will give absolutely everything for Warriors whether that is a Championship match or anything higher.
“I had heard lots of good things about Richard Hill so I am enjoying working with him,” he added.
“I want to develop more as a play and I don’t plan to stagnate. No player can say they are the finished article and you always plan to learn, it’s all about professional development.
“There are a lot of good players here in the back row. Pat Sanderson, Kai Horstmann and Adam Balding are all experienced and there is a lot of young talent with James Collins and Jake Abbott.
“We are start on the same level and pushing for a spot – rightly so, that is the way it should always be.
“Nobody is an automatic starter in this team and it should never be like that. If I want to play I have to perform, that doesn’t worry me at all and I look forward to that battle.
“It’s been a good experience so far – but it is good to play and get on the mix. You miss playing and then hopefully winning, that is when the banter and team spirit really develops and you can enjoy yourself.”
Best has become something of an enigma for rugby followers in recent years. Not many in the back row hold a degree in chemical engineering and a masters in polymer engineering.
A wrecking ball of a flanker, who was only first introduced to rugby aged 16, Best is sure to become a cult hero at Warriors and is keen to develop a strong dressing room atmosphere to take the club forward.
“I have settled in really quickly. I like to meet new people and experiencing new things so it wasn’t daunting for me at all,” added Best.
“There is a really positive vibe around the team and plenty of banter, rugby players tend to get on well with each other and like most teams we are already close.
“Things didn’t go well last season with relegation to the Championship, but there is a real spirit developing here. We intend to really grow that bond and spend time together to make sure that team spirit keeps us strong for the coming years.
“It’s been a good pre-season so far. The sunshine has made it more difficult because it is so warm, but everyone is getting fit and working hard.
“However, I wouldn’t say I really enjoyed the surf lifesaving session, the silt was about a foot thick! I’m thrilled about going back for the team triathlon last this month!”
Watch Neil Best and the Warriors in action in 2010/11 at Sixways Stadium. Call the Warriors Box Office on 01905 454183 for more information.