The season may not even be over but Coventry have already busied themselves assembling a high-quality back division which they hope will take National One by storm when the new campaign kicks off.

Having lost Paul Jones to Penzance & Newlyn and released Canadian internationals John Cannon and Jared Barker, the Butts Park Arena outfit have added four three-quarters and are negotiating with at least two more.

Winger David Millard has signed from Celtic League club Glasgow on a one-year deal, while centre Dave Tiueti moves from Neath-Swansea Ospreys and Josh Taumalolo and James Moore have arrived from Sale Sharks.

The club are also in talks with Worcester fly-half Jon Higgins, who has spent most of this season with them, and expect the young Bromsgrove-based No 10 to sign next week. They are also in talks with Tonga international Pila Fifita about extending his stay in the Midlands.

The signings of Millard and Tiueti are a huge statement of intent. The former has played international rugby for Scotland Under-19s and Scotland Sevens and has a reputation as a flying winger while the latter has represented Tonga 20 times and played in the same district side as British Lions Shane Williams and Gavin Henson.

Chief executive Ian Carvell sees their recruitment as a sign that Coventry will be challengers for the First Division title next season.

"Any player who is leaving will be replaced with a better one," said Carvell. "We are going to have a real crack at it next year.

"Mike Umaga [head coach] is already working seven days a week off the field to make sure that we are ready at the start of the campaign and not by Christmas as we were this time.

"But then it will be easier because the players we are bringing in are all proven Premiership-quality players who will take no time at all to settle in.

"David Millard is a big lad but he has also got stacks of pace and is very ambitious to come down and showcase himself with us in an effort to get into the Premiership."

Carvell also expressed his optimism that Higgins will be able to agree a deal having been told by his current Sixways employers that he is free to look elsewhere.

"Mike is very keen to sign him, although there is a bit to add to his game, we feel he has done well enough to ask him to stay," said Carvell.

Carvell is also in talks with two scrum-halves, one with Premiership experience and one who has played in the Super 12, after the loss of starting No 9 Shaun Perry who joins National One champions Bristol after Saturday's last match of the season against Bedford.

Coventry are looking at bringing in tighthead prop James Thomas who is currently playing at National Two side Waterloo, having joined the Merseysiders from Worcester academy.

Meanwhile, four Warriors have been named in a 26-man England squad selected for the IRB Under-21 World Championship in Mendoza, Argentina.

Lock Richard Blaze caps what is becoming something of a breakthrough season at Sixways, having made his first-team debut against Newcastle three weeks ago. He is joined by club-mates Will Bowley, Mark Hopley and Simon Whatling for games against Samoa, South Africa and France in June.