Even during a 45-point drubbing Russell Earnshaw was able to detect positive signs for his rebranded Bees at Sixways last Saturday.

The director of rugby, whose rehabilitating shoulder confines him to civvies for at least a few more weeks, was sufficiently buoyed by events at Worcester to boldly claim his side’s biggest weakness had been successfully addressed.

Anyone who watched Bees last season would know they scrummaged with all the ferocity of a new-born mouse and the precision of a blind man, yet the evidence of last weekend convinced the former Warriors back-rower bright things were afoot.

“I thought our scrum was very, very good against what is a pretty strong Worcester scrum,” Earnshaw said. “I think the old Achilles Heel of last season is long gone and I would expect us to ramp that up next week.

“It is an area that if we are decent at it now, we need to be outstanding at it pretty quickly.”

The upturn, Bees lost just two of their eight scrums, is about new personnel. Earnshaw spent the summer adding nigh-on 50 stones of Tongan to his pack with the recruitment of veteran Ngalu Tau and potential star Semisi Taulava.

He has also brought Rob Dugard, Greg Sammons, Ben Gerry, Dan Oselton and Adam Parkins in to support the front-row work of Matt Long and Leo Halavatau.

“It’s down to recruitment, pure and simple. Ngalu is a bit more off the field than on it, his ability to get the best out of Leo and Semisi and offer advice is invaluable. He is a great guy to have around.”

However, with so many new combinations predictable problems with the lineout have emerged. Bees were routed in that area on Saturday as rookie second row Adrian Griffiths had difficulty running things and linking his jumpers with Sammons’ throws.

Assuming the scrum will now look after itself, not that there are any constant variables in professional sport, Earnshaw must now turn his attention to the other set-piece if Bees are ever to develop a Plan B.