A New Year's message from Christopher Holland, Stephen Vaughan and Matt Everard

Dear Supporters,

As we come to the close of the year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect and thank you, sincerely and wholeheartedly, for your backing of Worcester Warriors in our first season return to professional rugby. The support and loyalty you have shown is palpable and a significant bonus to us all, as we rebuild the club.

This year has been defined by progress, but also by perspective. Restarting a club of this stature was never going to been a straightforward task. There have been challenges to overcome, lessons to learn, and moments that have tested all of us. Equally, there have been real highs, both on and off the pitch, that remind us why this club matters so deeply to its community. Sport, by its very nature, brings both triumphs and setbacks, and progress is rarely a straight line. What matters most is that we continue moving forward, together.

We are proud of how far the club has come in such a short space of time. From rebuilding foundations to restoring belief. Worcester Warriors and Sixways is once again taking confident steps towards a sustainable and successful future.

Commercially, the rugby club is on track to deliver a successful year against plan, which is a significant achievement and an important marker of stability. Alongside this, the Sixways venue will continue to evolve, with a strong focus on introducing new and more exciting events that broaden our reach and enhance the experience for everyone who walks through our doors.

We are particularly excited by the recent launch of our community programme, which represents a vital reconnection with the people, schools, clubs, and organisations that sit at the heart of our region. This programme is about opportunity, inclusion, and inspiring the next generation.

As a springboard to the Community programme launch, the game against Hartpury on January the 24^th will see us offering incentives for clubs and school groups to join us at the game.  Minis and juniors will be on the pitch at half time. There will be competitions and giveaways, and we are encouraging everybody to wear their school, club, college or university colours to show their pride in the community too. Our players will be doing the same by wearing their chosen socks from past representative clubs and their own communities.

Later in the new year, we will share details of our Development Pathway launch, a crucial step in ensuring we have an academy structure capable of producing the next generation of home-grown Worcester Warriors players.

Looking ahead, we are encouraged by the progress being made on the wider development project at Sixways. Good news on planning is expected to be shared with you soon, and we believe this will represent a major milestone. Not just for the club, but for the wider community we serve and is an essential part of the strategy to ensure success and sustainability as we continue our journey.

On the pitch, our year 1 plan which we shared with you at the beginning of the season was to bring together a new group of players and coaches and be competitive. Although a couple of recent performances have been disappointing, we approach the mid-season point in the play-off positions and have learnt much about the squad and the league. We are excited to attack the second half of the season in a good place. We have been without a number of senior players for almost all of our current games, so hopefully we can get to see them in the second half of the season. There is still a lot of rugby to come and a lot of points to be played for. Your ongoing support is very much appreciated by all the players and staff and continues to inspire us to improve as a new team. The team feels a special connection with the fans, through the personal interactions post-game on the pitch at Sixways, and at every away game. 

Attendances at Sixways have been beyond all expectations, and it is absolutely vital to our return plans that we keep this level of support in place. Your patience, and enthusiasm have helped carry the club through its early stages of renewal, and we are incredibly grateful for the trust you continue to place in us. It is this support that has allowed us to invest in the EBC Fan zone, food village, children’s entertainment, live music, and the general match day experience, which is receiving rave reviews. We will continue to work with our partners to keep the offerings fresh and fun with something for everyone.

As we move into the new year, we do so with optimism, ambition, and a clear sense of purpose. Thank you for standing with Worcester Warriors. We look forward to sharing the next chapter with you at our next fans forum in February that we will be announcing details of soon.

With our very best wishes for 2026.

Christopher Holland, Stephen Vaughan & Matt Everard