Hill – Warriors ready for home league opener

Head Coach Richard Hill insists his Worcester Warriors are now a much better team as they prepare to launch the new Aviva Premiership season on home soil against his former club Bath Rugby on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

Top-flight rugby will explode back into life at Sixways and Hill believes Warriors are much better equipped to now look to move up the table after the first year back in the elite last term.

A new-look coaching team and playing squad are in place at Worcester and optimism is high that Warriors can really kick on and enjoy a successful 2012/13 campaign.

“I believe the league will be much more competitive at the start of this season than it was last season because of the World Cup – but we are a better team now,” said Hill.

“That’s the thing all the coaches and I are pleased about – as well as all the players – we are more organised and we have one or two players that have come in and added to the quality.

“The ones who were here last year have developed and worked on things to become better too – all round I am a lot happier seeing our team than I was this time last year.

“We’ve got to move out of the bottom four – and I think if this squad continues as it’s doing then we should be aiming to do that.

“I’m sure if you asked the players, they would like to be in the Heineken Cup very quickly, but it will be a very tight league this season. It will be massively competitive, but we are a better side.”

Hill is also keen for his Warriors to blend the successful defensive resolve that stood them in such good stead last season with a new attacking edge.

“Last year we scored on average one try per game and, if we can start to improve on that, we should be winning more matches,” he added.

“Mathieu Rourre has been sent the videos of the Cardiff and Scarlets games and will be presenting to the players this week. Having seen what we’ve put in place, he can now see what we need to work on and he is clear on certain aspects.

“I am delighted with the work he’s done and I have seen a difference in our attacking game and some of the things he’s done are definitely working.

“I now know my 23-man squad for the Bath game and I’m pretty well sorted on the starting XV too,” he concluded. “But there are still one or two interesting debates to be had in our selection meetings, but it is pretty clear after the first three pre-season games.”

Watch the Warriors on the opening day of the season this Saturday! Call the Warriors Box Office on 01905 454183 or click HERE to buy online!


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