SCRUM-HALF Luke Baldwin insists the hard work has already begun after Worcester Warriors returned to pre-season training ahead of the 2016/17 Aviva Premiership campaign.
Baldwin and his teammates have enjoyed a month off after securing a tenth-placed finish last season, but now with just 12 weeks until the new campaign begins, the 25-year-old believes the players need to make the most of the club’s pre-season to ensure they hit the ground running come September when the season kicks off.
“The boys have come back in good shape and the hard work is now under way to make sure we’re ready for the season ahead,” said Baldwin.
“The first week has been about getting our fitness tested so the backroom staff can look at data and assess what we need to do as individuals to reach our peak at the right time.
“We were given an off-season programme to make sure we kept our fitness levels topped up and that has been a big help. Players like Andy Short and Perry Humphreys are in remarkable shape.
“We’ll be aiming to drive the standards from within this season so every player will be looking to get the best out of themselves and their teammates,” he added.
Baldwin, who scored two tries against Zebre and La Rochelle last season, enjoyed a short rest from rugby with a trip to Asia to unwind.
“I went to Thailand with a friend and joined-up with Matt Cox and former Warrior Joe Rees, which we had arranged,” he added.
“I felt like a real backpacker for a few weeks and was able to recharge the batteries which was great. Bizarrely I also bumped into Carl Kirwan over there, even though I had no idea he was going.”