Director of Rugby Alan Solomons believes that the busy schedule of nine matches in seven weeks that will complete the interrupted 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership season will have long-term benefits for the young players in his squad and the new Sixways coaching team.
Warriors played their third match in nine days against Exeter Chiefs on Sunday and used 40 players in the process, eight of whom made their Premiership debuts.
Although regulations have been introduced to limit the amount of matches and minutes players can play in a week partly explain the number of players used, Solomons had always stated his intention to give all available squad members game time.
Not only have played had the opportunity to impress the new coaching team of Jonathan Thomas, Matt Sherratt, Mark Irish and Jonny Goodridge but the coaches have also had the chance to introduce their own systems.
“We are making use of our whole squad over this period and we’ve got to look at the benefits it will bring for the 2020/21 season,” Solomons said.
“It gives us an opportunity to build towards the 2020/21 competition. It gives the new coaches a chance to bed in their systems and view the players both in practice and in games.
“By playing you get the preparation, then the game itself and then the review. So it is hugely beneficial.
“The reviews are very important, that’s how players can learn, by playing in strong competitions and learning from the experience.
“The young lads have given a good account of themselves but they don’t yet have that level of experience. With short turnarounds you need to make use of the squad an it’s an ideal opportunity to give them exposure to Premiership rugby. There is some great young talent but they lack that experience but how will they get that unless they play?”
After a five month break from playing caused by the Coronavirus lockdown, Solomons regards the resumption of the 2019/season as, in effect, an extended pre-season for the 2020/21 season which will start on the weekend of November 20-22.
“We want to do as well as we can but we’ve looked at this period as an extended pre-season for us,” he said.
“We’ve got a new group of coaches who are doing a splendid job. You can see the improvements already. You have to see things in context and we need to continue on the upward curve and give youngsters a chance to get experience.
“The important thing for us is that all the players have had an opportunity to play and that will stand us in good stead for the upcoming season.
“We’ve taken a different approach to other teams, we need to give our players and new coaches the best possible preparation with new systems. Players safety is a factor with no more than 180 minutes in a week and you need to see it in perspective.”
Although an inexperienced Warriors side went down heavily to an Exeter side packed with international players, Solomons believes that Exeter are reaping the rewards from their own investment in their Academy system.
“You look at Exeter Chiefs and the number of players who are now huge stars that came through their system. All they had at one point was potential but, because they played, they developed and I would hope for something similar here,” Solomons said.
“I see it as positive that young players have had an opportunity they wouldn’t normally have been given. One player came to see me today for a one-on-one and he was saying: I know it was tough at the weekend but the experience was incredible and I’ve learnt so much from that game – it was so beneficial to me. We are very fortunate we are able to play and we have to look at the positives.”