Former coach Ruddock says Worcester Warriors will go up

Ruddock replaced John Brain at Sixways in 2007.

Worcester Warriors have been given a vote of confidence by the man under whom they fell into the Championship, former director of rugby Mike Ruddock.

The former Wales coach left Sixways after the Warriors had been relegated last season but believes they will make an immediate return to the Premiership.

"Under Richard Hill I am sure they will get promoted," Ruddock told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"I'm delighted to see Worcester top of the table and wish them every success."

Ruddock continued: "I enjoyed my time at Worcester, the people were fantastic to me, [owner] Cecil Duckworth was brilliant and I have nothing but praise for the club.

"But if I am honest it is nice not to be on the treadmill week in, week out.

"It's great to have the family reunited. It was something on my mind in the last two years at Worcester."

We played some good rugby at times but we simply did not get the results.

Former Worcester director of rugby Mike Ruddock

Ruddock, who took Wales to the Six Nations title before moving to Worcester, is now coaching the Irish Under-20 side, and was an interested spectator at the Leinster A v. Warriors game, as his two sons were in the Leinster side.

He said: "I thought it was good battle, evenly matched, but in fairness to Leinster they got a couple of breakaways against a good and competitive young Worcester team.

"I am coaching the Under 20's for the IRU, and we have had a couple of camps already. We have one more before we play Italy, and the referee for that game is Neil Hennessy, who refereed the game against Worcester."

Both Ruddock lads are now too old for the Under-20 side, and Ruddock says he is pleased about that; "They would not listen to their Dad if he was the coach."

HRuddock said he often reflected on his three seasons with Worcester in the Premiership.

"You do think back, I bumped into some Worcester fans at the Leinster against Saracens match. They said they still recalled the game at Wembley last season, against Saracens, and still feel we were robbed.

"We played some good rugby at times but we simply did not get the results."