DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Ryan says he is excited by the growing number of talented young players coming through the club’s youth system.
However, the Warriors boss believes they will have to wait for a couple more years before they start reaping the rewards in the first team.
Since Ryan took over at Sixways in May 2013, he has worked hard to strengthen the club’s academy, which was all but closed when he arrived.
Worcester have already benefited from his and high performance director Nick Johnston’s efforts as the likes of Huw Taylor and Sam Smith have made an impressive for the Cavaliers this season.
And Ryan said he was confident more talented teenager would be knocking on the door for selection in years to come.
“We have got some really good lads coming through, like (Andrew) Kitchener, Taylor and Smith,” he said. “They have been great additions and have represented the A League to the highest level, so we are excited about that small group.
“But we are also very excited about the sorts of numbers which are coming around the corner. We will start to see the tip of that next year and then more the year after.
“If you have got a huge amount of numbers knocking on the door it makes it easier and that’s where we want to be in about two years.
“We want to have huge numbers really pushing to get in, so we can be more selective about who we take on which will lift the quality of the club.”
Ryan said he was also pleased to see Worcester’s youngsters receiving international recognition, with Beck Cutting, Ted Hill, Nick David and James Scott being selected to play for England u16s.
“I think there is a gap in numbers here, but I don’t think there is a gap in quality,” he added.
“Academies aren’t just about having 50 kids as it is about who can make the Premiership and that’s then about your investment at a young age which allows them to develop much faster.
“It is also about having real ability in your age groups, so you have got some national recognition. They are the sorts of players which make the Premiership, so we have got to get those numbers up and they are starting to come through the 17s and 16s.”
Meanwhile, Warriors have appointed former Scotland international Gordon Ross as academy transition manager.
The 37-year-old, who scored 696 points in 103 appearances in the top flight, will move to Sixways in the summer after spending this season as assistant coach of London Welsh.
Ross said: “Dean Ryan and his coaching team have an excellent reputation of improving young coaches and I very much hope through hard work and determination the same will apply to me.”