Boss keen to adopt innovative style

Head Coach Richard Hill has revealed he wants his Warriors to adopt a new ‘innovative’ playing style in the Aviva Premiership – and intends to select players who are alert, athletic, fast and quick thinking.

Worcester return to the top-flight of the English game on September 4 when Sale Sharks arrive at Sixways Stadium and Hill is keen for his new-look squad to hit the floor running.

During pre-season Hill has now vowed to challenge the entire squad as he looks to develop a playing style that will ensure his team can be a success.

“The squad is going to be challenged by the way we want them to play; they will use different skills and think on their feet a little bit,” he said.

“When we were the big fish in the Championship pond teams had to be a little bit innovative to try and play against us. We knew if we played a solid game we had enough firepower to beat teams without having to do anything extraordinary, we had to do the simple things well.

“Teams became challenging because they were unpredictable. You have to do that when you are the underdogs and you are trying to knock off a big team.

“We are going to be a smaller fish in a bigger pond and we will be playing the likes of Leicester and Saracens. If you go in with a predictable game plan then you are going to come off second best.

“We are going to have to be innovative and really test them out, try different ways to score points against these big teams.

“You can’t afford to go into games with your brain switched off and just go through the motions.

“People are going to have to keep their wits about them so I will select players who are alert, athletic, fast and quick thinking.”

Hill also admitted his summer signings will need to show their worth during the pre-season schedule to force their way into his plans.

“Last year, when I first arrived, I couldn’t genuinely say who was on form and not on form, having not watched Worcester the year before. I could come in and treat everyone equally,” he said.

“It is slightly different this year because I have formed certain opinions of players, those that have played well like Marcel Garvey, Miles Benjamin and Jonny Arr.

“It is up to the new players to show they are better. I’m going to try and keep it as equal as I can do and give everyone a fair crack at it.

“Because of the way the fixture list is in pre-season, with those four big games, all of the players will be tested and challenged. There is no easy game and it will be a case of seeing how they perform in those games.

“Phil Davies and I are already forming a view of all the players having watched them train. We know which ones are pushing themselves forwards in terms of skills, attitude and work rate. Ultimately they will be judged on games, but it has been good to form opinions before that match stage.”


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