Worcester Warriors have partnered up with Bath in a relationship that will see young players from the Gallagher Premiership league leaders going out on loan to the Championship outfit.
Bath and local rivals Bristol were keen on establishing a link, but in the end, Warriors head coach Matt Everard told the Worcester News that opting to go with treble-seeking Bath was ‘a no-brainer’.
“We were very fortunate that both Bath and Bristol were scrapping over each other to jump into bed with us,” said Everard.
“It is something Stephen (Vaughan, Warriors CEO) and I discussed a lot.
“If I am completely honest, we choose between those two and the potential of one other.
“Bath have got a very good set-up, some great coaches and a huge squad.
“To be honest, it was a bit of a no-brainer.”
Bath have loaned players out to the likes of Doncaster, Coventry and Chinnor in recent times, and Worcester’s arrival on the scene may negatively impact other Championship clubs when it comes to recruitment, although Everard has pointed out that the partnership isn’t exclusive to them.
However, it does strengthen the ties between the two clubs, with Bath having signed two of the Warriors’ most-liked players, Ted Hill and Ollie Lawrence, when the club went to the wall in 2022.
Lawrence, who is currently sidelined with an Achilles injury, has developed into one of the best centres in European rugby in his time at The Rec, while Hill has been brought back in from the cold with England after making a hugely positive impact with the blue, black and whites.
It was also disclosed at a Worcester fans’ forum that all but two spots on a 36-strong playing roster have now been filled and that experienced tight-head prop, Fraser Balmain, one of the recently confirmed new arrivals, will double up as scrum coach.
Worcester have arranged friendlies with Ampthill away and an unnamed Premiership club at Sixways on 27 September, while supporters were told that the Champ Rugby season will start on 4 October.
