Hill will be releasing up to eight players at the end of the season

Worcester Warriors coach Richard Hill says Joe Carlisle, Adam Black and Tevita Taumoepeau are close to agreeing new contracts at Sixways.

Prop Black, 35, joined Worcester from Newport while fly-half Carlisle, 23, is a product of the Warriors' academy.

Taumoepeau, 36, also a prop, is a former Tonga international.

"There is lots of work going on behind the scenes and we're hoping to have something by the end of this week," Hill told BBC Hereford & Worcester.

"I am pretty certain we can still get our first-choice 22 contracted by the start of the play-offs.

"I want to try and keep the vast majority of the current squad together, but there will be somewhere between six and eight who have to move out.

"I have started to talk to some of them it is only fair to give them an early warning. Obviously it is not a nice part of the job."

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