WITH just two league victories to shout about and a relegation to mull over, there is no doubt Worcester Warriors’ fans will find it difficult to pluck any positives from last season.
But when looking at the rise of exciting centre Andy Symons there is a reason to be optimistic about where Worcester’s future is heading.
This time last year, it is fair to say not many people associated with Warriors had heard of the 23-year-old who has previously been on the books of Saracens and Leicester Tigers.
But by the time the season reached its climax supporters were calling for his name to be included in Dean Ryan’s first 15 as they looked for that much-needed spark in midfield.
This response demonstrates the impact Symons has made since joining Warriors from New Zealand outfit Tazman Makos in November.
And the inside centre said he has been relishing life at Warriors where he has made ten appearances.
“I was really happy from a personal point of view with how last season went. The faith Dean and the coaches put in me was exactly what I was looking for,” he said.
“Before I moved here, I was just chasing rugby and trying to play as much as I can which would help put me in the shop window.
“But since Dean invited me to come along and start this journey things have gone really well and I am beginning to feel settled here.
As with all ambitious players, though, Symons said he was not getting too carried away as he insisted there were still plenty of areas in his game to work on.
“Having experienced playing in some big games, especially against Sarries it highlighted that if you want to play international rugby, you need to work on a lot,” he said.
“I was up against the likes of Brad Barritt and Marcelo Bosch, so I was pretty nervous. But that’s where I learned the most about myself, so it was a pretty awesome experience and it has now put me in a great place to really crack on this season and go from that level.”
Symons has already made an impression having started in two of Worcester’s three pre-season games, but he said he would only be satisfied if his name was on the team sheet every week.
“I really want to stamp my authority on the 12 jersey now,” he added. “There is a lot of competition as there are a lot of good centres here, so it is going to be tough, but I will do everything I can to get my hands on that shirt.”
Three more players to watch this season…
Christian Scotland-Williamson
The towering lock quickly made a name for himself last season with a try on his debut against Leicester Tigers in the LV=Cup. And the 21-year-old, who secured a full-tome contract at the club after finishing his studies at Loughborough University, will now be hoping to challenge Dan Sanderson, Mike Williams and James Percival for a place in the second row.
Tiff Eden
The highly-touted fly half was cruelly denied a large chunk of last season due to injury. But after Paul Warwick called time on his career and with Ryan Lamb out for the next three months, the 19-year-old has quickly gone up the pecking order, so this maybe the academy ace’s campaign to shine.
Nick Schonert
If the 22-year-old tight-head prop develops at the same rate as his good friend Mike Williams then Warriors have made another superb capture. The South African, who joined from Super Rugby side Cheetahs, has already made his mark with a try in pre-season and he will be keen to be a cornerstone of Worcester’s new-look front row.