WARRIORS have announced today (Thursday) that Director of Rugby Dean Ryan has been released from his contract and will depart immediately.
The announcement comes after the club’s chiefs dismissed rumours Ryan could be set for a move to Bath earlier this week, in a row over the Sixways playing budget.
Chief executive Jim O’Toole had hit out at national reports suggesting Ryan had been approached by Bath following the row, to succeed recently axed Mike Ford as Director of Rugby.
Moving forward, Warriors’ senior management team will consist of head coach Carl Hogg and high performance director Nick Johnston, both of whom will report to O’Toole.
Hogg, who has six years’ experience as a head coach at Warriors and Gloucester Rugby, retains responsibility for the first-team squad, while Johnston continues his work in running the academy, medical, sports science and player welfare departments.
O’Toole said: “We’re very sorry to see Dean move on from Sixways. He’s been instrumental in developing and putting in place our long-term plan and we’ve been delighted with our progress and momentum we’ve built-up over the last three years.
“Dean has also helped to build a team around him who are ready to step-up to the next level and build on that progress. For the first time in Warriors’ history we have an active succession plan which has already kicked-in.
“We’re an ambitious club with sights on the top six places in the Premiership and the Champions Cup.”