Worcester Warriors aim to hold onto lock Kitchener

Kitchener featured for England Saxons in last summer's Churchill Cup

Worcester lock Graham Kitchener will be considering offers from Premiership clubs in the next few weeks, says Warriors head coach Richard Hill.

The 21-year-old, who is set to play for England Saxons against Italy at Sixways on Saturday, has been watched by several of the top Premiership sides.

"He is a quality player, we do not want to lose Graham, " Hill told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"But I know the likes of Leicester and one or two others are looking at him."

Hill continued: "What I have allowed him to do is consider other options because he will do that anyway, so there is no point trying to resist that, they will or will not make him an offer.

"If you get clubs like Leicester, Northampton and Gloucester talking to you they have a lot of tradition and it's a big temptation for a young man.

"He has another year at Birmingham University, he is developing nicely here, he is a Worcester person he has come through the system here.

Hill says Warriors will not take promotion for granted

"We have to hope he makes the decision to stay with us, but there is some big competition out there.

"We have to make contingency plans in case he decides to move."

As Worcester head into the Championship play-offs and thoughts turn tentatively to next season Hill is planning for promotion back to the Premiership but is also being realistic in considering that they may not make it back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

"We cannot make the same mistake that Bristol did last year. They put all their eggs in one basket, their only planning was to be in the Premiership. So when they weren't, there was no plan," the former Bristol coach said.

"We have considered that and have made two plans. Yes, we are optimistic that we will go up, and we hope we do.

"Then we would have such-and-such a budget and such-and-such a squad and staff.

"But if the worst happens and we do not get promoted then we have to have another budget and another squad.

"When you come to do contract renewals there will be one for the Premiership and one for the Championship.

"But this club will be a really powerful Premiership club one day because of the facilities, the ambition of the owners and the support base that it has."