New signing James Percival is enjoying the perfect partnership both on and off the field – after making his return to Worcester Warriors and walking down the aisle in just a matter of weeks!
Man-mountain Percival started his career in the Academy at Warriors before leaving six years ago to pursue rugby at Northampton Saints and Harlequins.
Percival, who previously studied at Worcester Sixth Form College and Worcester University, has now made his return to Sixways a more mature and experienced player and eager to make a big impression at Warriors.
The 27-year-old is all smiles to be back at his original club surrounded by many familiar faces and is also celebrating his recent marriage to Vilija – where current team-mate Shaun Perry was his best man!
However, Percival revealed his determination to make a massive impact under the coaching team of Richard Hill, Phil Davies and Phil Larder means his honeymoon has now even had to be put on hold!
“Life is good after the move to Warriors and also getting married in the space of a few weeks. Shaun (Perry) was my best man and that was a bit of a role reversal as I was his best man. He did a good speech… very touching,” laughed Percival.
“We had to take a few training days off, but that just meant we had to come in on off days when the rest of the lads were away and get brutalised – we have more than made up for it!
“Now it’s gone I can totally focus on the rugby. Life is good, the only thing was that my wife wanted a honeymoon but I needed to get back in and train.
“We will try and go away later in the season. She is used to me by now and I’m sure she will forgive me for having to put it on hold.”
“It’s been slightly different for me coming to a new club,” smiled Percival. “I left here when I was a young Academy boy and so I know a lot of the lads here. They remember me as a little chubby blonde lad.
“A lot has happened over the last six years and, to be honest, I’ve come back a different person and a lot wiser to the world.
“It was a little weird walking back in. I sat in the meeting room earlier and thought to myself ‘Well, I’ve been here before’. But it is a whole different mindset at the club now.
“Yes, I have had plenty of abuse of the boys who I knew from before, also from Ceri (Jones) who was Quins with me, but I know how to give it out too so it’s no problem.
“Seriously though, all the boys have welcomed the new lads into the group and everyone knows what we want to achieve and how we want to play.”
The importance of pre-season at any club cannot be underplayed and Percival believes the Warriors can hit the floor running in the league after the good work already undertaken during the RFU Championship campaign.
“Pre-season is important at any club,” warned Percival. “You have two months to know the moves and plays and feel you have the strength and fitness levels where you want them.
“Speaking to Hilly and the fitness coaches, they focussed on that a lot while we the club was in the RFU Championship and they have worked on what they needed to do.
“In theory we have got a head-start because the club used last season wisely to work on all the areas that needed addressing from the last time in the Premiership so we should hit the floor running.
“I’m looking forward to working with all the coaching staff. I’m 27 so I only really know about Phil Larder from when he was with England – but to have someone like that here is amazing.
“To work with someone like Phil Davies also, an international which such experience, is all you can ever want to learn off.
“We’ve had a lot of weights and fitness over the first two weeks and it has been pretty tough. Stuart Pickering, the Strength and Conditioning Coach, has been pushing us and getting into the boys to work us hard and get the best out of us.
“But I feel I have had some good results. With the weights I have had gains and the programmes have been spot on. I can’t fault anything.
“The professional aspect of the club is amazing,” he added. “The supplements we’ve been given and the speed work we are doing, with specialist GB coaches, is spot on.
“This is probably the most professional set-up I have been in since I left here – you can’t fault it.
“The players are given everything they need and it is now down to us to prove they have taken it all in.”