Warriors fly half Andy Goode believes that the new season represents a new era for the club after a string of players and coaches arrived at Sixways over the summer.
Worcester secured the services of nine players, including new captain Dean Schofield, and according to Goode, Warriors are in good shape to enjoy a successful season.
“There is a new vibe at the club and we have some good new players here and a new coaching structure too. It is very exciting,” said Goode.
“The chairman has openly said he is fed up of lingering around tenth spot in the league and he really wants to make a massive step up and improvement on that.”
Goode paid tribute to the new recruits and admits they will benefit the side hugely adding: “We have good guys coming in with the likes of Schofield and Jon Clarke, players who have real experience, and Paul Hodgson and David Lemi, players who excite fans.
“We have some great talent at the club and on top of that the new coaches Phil Vickery, Nigel Redman and Mathieu Rourre have added immense value.”
Last season Warriors recorded their joint-best Aviva Premiership finish since 2006 despite losing four games in a row as the campaign came to a conclusion.
But Goode admits the side have learnt a valuable lesson from their run-in and will be better equipped to turn defeats into victories this time out.
“Last season I was pretty happy with some games, but there were a lot of frustrations when we were pipped at the post in a few matches,” stated Goode.
“Our season could have been very different instead of knowing we were safe before the last few games and that was reflected in our results.
“We finished badly against Northampton and London Irish, but if we had turned a few of those narrow defeats into victories we could have been pushing for the Heineken Cup at the end.
“That was the difference between that middle tier of teams and us, who had just been promoted. Hopefully this season we will draw on those experiences of losing and turn them into wins.”
According to Goode, who has played 17 times for England and scored 107 points, the Aviva Premiership will be competitive this season and he admits the side need to get off to a good start if they are to push for their highest league finish.
“The Aviva Premiership will be as tough as ever this year,” he said. “We saw last season that any team can beat another on its day and, with no Rugby World Cup this campaign, it will be tough.
“It’s a huge start. A home game to start off with is big and Bath have got a new coaching set-up and a few new players so they will be jumping to go.
“If we can get a good win here it sets us up well. Leicester Tigers second game away is always tough and it didn’t help that I got sent off last season at Welford Road.
“I’m pleased the clash has come early so, if given the opportunity, I can put in a big performance and rectify that red card.”
With Warriors flirting with relegation for many of their Premiership campaigns, Goode is keen to help the side progress up the table this season, with the club in a better position than ever to do so.
With the start of the Aviva Premiership season under three weeks away, Goode can’t wait to get started and recognises the significance of picking up points at Sixways.
He said: “You have got to win your home games and our first two are against local sides and derby games. If we can get something from those two and get something from Leicester then we set ourselves up well.
“Everything is in place for us to have a big season and push for the Heineken Cup.”
With last season’s Championship play-off winners London Welsh the bookies early favourites to be relegated, Goode says that the Premiership new-boys could surprise a few people when the season gets underway.
“It’s never easy in this league,” he said “People say London Welsh will be the ones to go down, but I don’t think they will see it that way. They will be champing at the bit and have nothing to lose.
“They have recruited Gavin Henson and it will be interesting to see where they play him. They have Tom Arscott and Sonny Parker, players with a point to prove, so they are strengthening all the time and they will get better as the season goes on.”
“There is a new vibe at the club and we have some good new players here and a new coaching structure too. It is very exciting."