The Midlands, a football dominated region. However, that's now something of the past! Your Baggies, Wolves and Villas are now your Saints, Tigers and Warriors. There's nothing we love more than a piece of slick handling, a back-breaking tackle or a clenched fist of a certain Tuilagi brother. There's no shortage of talent either with top Championship side Nottingham, lower division side Loughborough, but most importantly the home of rugby itself, well....Rugby.
Until the consistent recognition of side's like Leicester and Northampton throughout Europe, Webb-Ellis' effort to pick up the strangely shaped 'spherical' ball seemed like an effort too far. However, now Midlands rugby is again at the heart of the sport and is ever expanding. With the additional funds of valued investors like Peter Tom and Cecil Duckworth OBE, clubs like the Warriors are on the rise.
The recent past has seen Leicester prevail in both the Premiership and Heineken Cup, and the Saints similarly reach great heights on the European stage. Although there's a club lying slightly lower in standing now possess the makings of an English and maybe even European driving force. The newly promoted Worcester Warriors, a club which took joy in remaining above the relegation drop, now looks up the table with drive and ambition. The Captain of a newly refurbished ship, Richard Hill stands proudly at the helm with First and Second Mate, Davies and Larder on hand to set sail up the Aviva Premiership table. With rumours of Dean Richards becoming Director of Rugby at the club, I'm in no doubt the future looks rather more promising.
Worcester isn't known to produce the most scintillating rugby, but my word is it 'heart in the mouth stuff'! Kitchener's almost disastrous knock-on against Bedford and Garvey's storming 90m sprint against his former club, Gloucester, is what makes my love of the sport so immeasurable.
As a coach, we all know, you play to your strengths. You only go with what you've got, and that indeed, is where Worcester triumphs above every other team.
With legends like lanky Lineout lad, Craig Gillies and the Tongan Tank, Tevita Taumoepeau, Worcester isn't short of forward prowess. Therefore, forward rugby with an unbeatable set piece is how WRFC liked to play the game, and to an extent, still do.
Their backline is not something to be envied by a Toulouse or Sarries side. There's no Lomu, Blanco or Edwards, but what there is, is a will to win. A side that has scored very little similarly has conceded very little. What they lack in ability is made up for in passion and a desire to come out on top.
So now the City of Worcester stands in awe of the prospect of Heineken Cup rugby in two seasons time. With recent signatures of John Andress and David Lemi, along with the rumoured additions of Jon Clarke, Scott Armstrong, Paul Hodgson and Dean Schofield, Hill certainly understands the need for talent alongside experience. Even though stars like Marcel Garvey and Miles Benjamin are set to leave Sixways, the contract extensions of Matt Mullan and undiscovered talent, Ravai Fatiaki looks certain to help build upon the recent success of the club.
A Stadium envied by many, and an Academy with products like Tom Wood and Matt Kvesic certainly outlines Worcester as a club with massive potential. As a life-long fan, critic and analyst of Worcester and their style of rugby, I can honestly say there is currently, no player, coach or manager I deem unfit to take this club forward.
