Worcester's new head coach Anthony Eddy yesterday vowed to remain faithful to the forward-oriented principles that turned Warriors into a respected Premiership force after only one season in the top flight.

Despite establishing his reputation in the Super 12 as a backs coach with ACT Brumbies and latterly the Queensland Reds, the 39-year-old accepted the demands of the English game and that Worcester's best hopes of maintaining last term's progress meant sticking to what they are good at.

Director John Brain said last week that, while Eddy's arrival would give the Sixways outfit some new ideas, he expected the overall pattern of play to remain similar.

It was destructively effective and with a big set of physically dominant forwards and a well-drilled set-piece, it is only a slight simplification to say that Brain's men scrummaged relegated Harlequins out of the league and themselves to safety.

Which might sound a complete anathema to a southern hemisphere coach coming to this country from a background where the top domestic league - the Super 12 - is a made-for-television showcase designed to produce high-scoring and free-flowing rugby.

But Eddy understands that Worcester is not a place where the wheel needs any sort of reinvention. He said: "We have got to continue with our strength which is certainly our forwards."

"I am certainly not over here to change many things. The club was successful last season with a very good strong pack of forwards.

"If that's what's going to win us games, then we would be silly to change that. It is not necessarily my brief to bring some Super 12 influence into Worcester's game."

Nevertheless, you can take the coach out of Australia, as Warriors did for the next two years, but you can't take Australia out of the coach. Eddy realises that he has been brought in to complement Brain's expertise in the forwards.

There is the suggestion that, this season, Worcester could open up their strategy to some degree. "I would like to think that I could come in and bring a little bit more attack into the game," Eddy said. "I would like to think that we will be able to attack wide when we have the opportunities but I do recognise the Premiership is a different competition.

"Although we are playing under the same laws there is perhaps a bit more leniency in Super 12 because it is designed to be attractive to a television audience with teams trying to play a fast, open, flowing game.

"I would imagine the breakdown is contested harder in this country and there is much more emphasis on having a very strong setpiece, instead of get it in and move it quickly as it is in the Super 12."

Eddy arrived midway through last week and, after observing for a few days, sat down with Brain and worked out the sessions he is now delivering. Although he has not been able to make any firm conclusions on playing combinationshe has detected an urgency in a competitive squad.

"One thing I have been impressed with has been the level of intensity that the boys train at," he said. "There is a lot of competition for places which you always want. It is very healthy and gives us depth.

"Technically, these players compare very well and physically I would say that some of the blokes look like better rugby specimens than I might have worked with in Australia."