Worcester Warriors 2022-23 season preview - prediction, signings, ones to watch
Steve Diamond and Worcester Warriors could be galvanised by their off-field issues
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Will Steve Diamond be able to work his magic at Worcester this season despite the problems surrounding the club?
The 54-year-old starts his first full campaign in charge of the Warriors and will be looking to build on an encouraging end to last year, but with no pre-season, it will be hard for the experienced coach to have fine-tuned his team.
Preparations for 2022-23 couldn’t have been much worse for Worcester who have had uncertainty looming over the club and still to the current day have that uncertainty.
They are playing their opening match at London Irish as scheduled, but the money needed for this game to go ahead and the following week's home fixture against Exeter Chiefs is still not guaranteed.
Staff have only been paid 65% of their August wages so far while the club remains in £30 million worth of debt.
Current owners Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring are seeking people to buy the club but administration seems a very likely option. Diamond and his squad have been trying to stay focused on the tasks ahead on the field but you have to wonder how the off-field events are affecting them.
Last time out
Despite finishing last season in 11th place and having to deal with the events of this summer, the 2021-22 campaign was one to remember for all involved with Worcester Warriors as they picked up their first piece of silverware since promotion back to the Premiership in 2015.
The Warriors beat London Irish at the Brentford Community Stadium on tries scored after the match finished 25-25 following extra-time.
In terms of the Gallagher Premiership, the Worcestershire side started the campaign poorly, only picking up one victory in the opening nine rounds.
Diamond was appointed Director of Rugby at the end of January and after his arrival, the side showed real promise.
They picked up historic and impressive wins against Exeter Chiefs and Bristol Bears, highlighting to the Sixways crowd what Diamond can bring to the Worcester side.
This is why the current state of the club is so frustrating for fans as they looked like a team on the up that could finally challenge.
Incomings:
Curtis Langdon (Hooker) from Sale Sharks
Cameron Neild (Back Row) from Sale Sharks
Fergus Lee-Warner (Second Row) from Western Force
Santiago Medrano (Tighthead Prop) from Western Force
Hame Faiva (Hooker) from Benetton
Valery Morozov (Loosehead Prop) from Bath Rugby
Renato Giammarioli (Flanker) from Zebre
Outgoings:
Sam Lewis (Back Row) to Bristol Bears
Ethan Waller (Loosehead Prop) to Northampton Saints
Niall Annett (Hooker) to Bath Rugby
Sione Vailanu (Back Row) to Glasgow Warriors
Christian Judge (Tighthead Prop) to Saracens
James Scott (Second Row) to Jersey Reds
Isaac Miller (Hooker) to London Irish
Marc Thomas (Loosehead Prop) to Cardiff RFC
Melani Nanai (Full-back) to Bay of Plenty
Cheick Kone (Second Row) to Colorno
Matt Garvey (Second Row) retired
Caleb Montgomery (Back Row) released
Joe Morris (Tighthead Prop) released
Ben Murphy (Loosehead Prop) released
Joe Richardson (Hooker) released
Areas of strength
If we put their troubles to one side for a minute, this Worcester side has a scary and powerful look to it upfront.
The signings of Curtis Langdon, Fergus Lee-Warner, Santiago Medrano and Valery Morozov have added much-needed depth, but also sheer muscle to the forward pack which is sure to get the Warriors on the front foot this season.
This strength will also help young fly-half Fin Smith as it will give him more decision time when trying to attack so he can choose the best option. Often young number 10s struggle with fast-paced defence coming at them so if Diamond can get his bulky pack to gain good yards, then this will make Smith’s job much easier.
The Warriors set-piece should be a plus this term due to their off-season business. Diamond knows Langdon well from his time at Sale Sharks and new Italian international, Hame Faiva, looks a promising option off the bench.
Langdon has only been capped twice by England so there is a good chance he will be available to Diamond for the majority of the year meaning he can build a strong set-piece which will be a great asset for the Warriors.
Areas of weakness
The sheer chaos at the club is currently the biggest weakness for the team going into the season as their livelihoods are in the balance, but they are still expected to go out and perform to their best.
The sooner the situation is resolved, if that means new owners or administration, the better for the club who are showing great togetherness to even be playing in the opening rounds of the Premiership.
The number of departures going into the new campaign might be a weakness for the Warriors side as they may struggle to adjust to new partnerships and personalities. Whenever a club gets overhauled by quite a margin, it always takes time for the squad to gel and create links on the field.
Elsewhere, every Worcester Warriors fan might be worried about the lack of depth and cover for Ollie Lawrence at outside centre.
The England international has become a fan favourite in recent seasons and his barnstorming performances have earned him multiple caps from Eddie Jones. This, however, has caused issues for the Warriors as they struggle to find an adequate replacement when he is away or injured that can carry and beat defenders like the 22-year-old. His leg drive and brute force gives Worcester fast ball, which star players like Duhan Van der Merwe and Jamie Shillcock can exploit out wide. Without Lawrence, they lack that Manu Tuilagi-style centre.
Opening fixtures
Round 1: London Irish (A)
Round 2: Exeter Chiefs (H)
Round 3: Newcastle Falcons (H)
Round 4: Gloucester (A)
Round 5: Harlequins (H)
The Warriors start their season at a place they will have good memories of in the form of the Brentford Community Stadium. From there, they have back-to-back home games where they will look to build momentum before a tough away fixture at Gloucester. They finish the opening five rounds at Sixways against one of the title favourites, Harlequins.
Predicted line-up:
1. Rory Sutherland
2. Curtis Langdon
3. Santiago Medrano
4. Kyle Hatherell
5. Fergus Lee-Warner
6. Ted Hill
7. Matt Kvesic
8. Renato Giammarioli
9. Gareth Simpson
10. Fin Smith
11. Duhan Van der Merwe
12. Francois Venter
13. Ollie Lawrence
14. Perry Humphreys
15. Jamie Shillcock
Predicted finish: 12th
I think the first season under Diamond would have been filling Worcester Warrior fans with plenty of optimism and excitement, but the summer has put a dampener on their spirits.
Their financial situation and the uncertainty may not make for good results on the pitch, especially if the process of new ownership continues to drag on.
If Diamond manages to get his squad performing and picking up points then it will be a great show of character in the face of adversity and every rugby fan will be supporting Worcester this season.
