By Phil Harlow

Ruddock had a successful time as coach of Mumbles RFC

Worcester's new director of rugby Mike Ruddock says he wants to bring his trademark brand of entertaining rugby to the Guinness Premiership.

The Warriors, who avoided relegation by a point, played a forward-orientated game last season, scoring 32 tries, the lowest total in the Premiership.

Ruddock is renowned for guiding Wales to their first Grand Slam in 27 years in 2005.

"We want to try to play with more width and tempo," Ruddock told BBC Sport.

606: DEBATE How will Ruddock fare?

"Obviously we want a Plan B as well - if things get a bit loose we want a rock solid forward pack that we can go back to. We certainly won't neglect the forward side of things.

"My impressions from the pre-season games we've played are that the boys are prepared to push the boundaries back and play a bit more rugby without losing the forward and defensive strengths of the team."

Under previous director of rugby John Brain, Worcester were the only side in the Premiership not to claim a bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match; in contrast, eventual champions Leicester took nine.

Signs that the Ruddock factor may have already started to take effect came last month when Worcester - who last year went out in the group stages after scoring just 12 points in two games - finished runners-up at the Middlesex Sevens.

"I wouldn't say Worcester would have been renowned for their Sevens expertise, so it was nice to see the skills work we've done bear fruit," added Ruddock.

"We were more precise in our passing and confident enough to put some width on our play - we just need to transfer that to our 15-a-side game."

The 48-year-old has taken an unusual route to his position at Sixways after leaving the Wales job in a hurry, just two games into the 2006 Six Nations.

The circumstances of his departure have never been fully explained but Ruddock decided to take a job outside the sport, working as commercial development manager for recruitment company Acorn.

"Acorn was a very good company to work for. I worked for their training and business development arms, using my experiences in rugby to develop team building and leadership modules," he said.

"I feel I learned a lot working there that's transferable back to rugby, the main thing being the value of having good people in your organisation, whether that's a rugby club or a business.

Finishing mid-table would be acceptable Mike Ruddock

"Good teams and good organisations are full of good people. There's a war for talent out there and you have to win that war. We've started well by signing Rico Gear, Sam Tuitupou and Greg Rawlinson which hopefully shows I learned a bit."

With his talk of "process goals" and "achievable outcomes" Ruddock's language betrays his time in business, but there is no doubting his passion for the sport.

Even during his absence from elite-level rugby, Ruddock took on a coaching role with his local amateur club, Mumbles, helping them win the Division Three South-West title last year, scoring 127 tries in the process.

"I do feel recharged - I've been coaching for more than 20 years and sometimes you need a bit of time out," said Ruddock.

"I really want to go back to the top level - I kept my hand in with Mumbles and really enjoyed it. It's renewed my energies and enthusiasm for a bigger challenge."

Ruddock is honest about Worcester's prospects after last season's skin of the teeth escape from relegation.

"Finishing mid-table would be acceptable and any higher and we'd be delighted," he said.

"It's a season of consolidation, really. You have to be pragmatic and realistic in that there are a few guys to come into this team and we have to blend them in over the course of a season.

"Ultimately, I think the Premiership is the toughest week-in, week-out test of any coach or team.

"There's no easy games or gimmes, every game is of huge intensity - it's a very tough but very exciting competition to be part of."

And if the new incarnation of Worcester turn out anything like Wales - or Mumbles RFC, for that matter - then the Premiership may well be an even more exciting competition.