Moseley fans might want to prepare themselves to think the unthinkable after head coach Ian Smith hailed the impact that triallist Chris Buck has made since he started training with the club.

Buck, who spent last season with Moseley's National Two rivals Harrogate, has returned to the area and has been training with his former team at stand-off - rivalling last term's golden boy Ollie Thomas.

Thomas, whose stand-out campaign for the Birmingham side ended with him being the league's top scorer, went on tour with England Counties this summer and looked a certainty for the No 10 shirt for the start of the season next month.

But yesterday Smith was keen to emphasise the strength in depth of his squad - particularly at the crucial position of fly-half.

He said: "Chris is a great capture for us, although we have not yet agreed anything. He is a quality player who has fitted in very, very well.

"He looks quite talented, is very keen and enjoys training with us.

"If he joins he could be a valuable part of our squad. All he has got to do is fit into our system and relax.

"We've got to see a little bit more of him in a game and he could play some part in the conditioned session with Worcester next Tuesday."

Buck has played in several positions at Claro Road, including inside centre and full-back, before approaching Moseley in June.

Across the city at Pertemps Bees prop Andrew Le Chevalier has revealed that he turned down a lucrative move to National One newcomers Newbury this summer.

The former Wasps and Grenoble forward, who joined the Bees midway through last season, said that he turned down better money to move to the National One newcomers because he felt he owed Bees a debt of loyalty.

"Newbury were keen on signing me and they did offer a good contract," Le Chevalier said. "But I felt that I owed the Bees some loyalty. They gave me the chance to get back into English rugby last season after I had taken time out of the game following the death of my father.

"I also enjoyed my time with the club and enjoyed the spirit within the team. That is something quite special and it's not something that you find at every club."

He's also remained to silence a few doubters, saying: "I have friends who play for other clubs in National One and the word coming back is that the Bees are being tipped as bottom two material.

"It seems that people think that our time in this league is up but, from what I have seen in pre-season training and with the players we have signed, I think that we might surprise a lot of people."

Le Chevalier's loyalty and honesty has been welcomed by Phil Maynard, the Bees' director of rugby, who said: "It's easy to become cynical about professional rugby but Andrew Le Chevalier's honesty has come as a breath of fresh air.

"He made no secret about the fact that Newbury were after him and also that he had turned down what was a better contract than the one I have been able to offer him so far because he felt an affinity with the club."

Worcester have given a three-week trial to American international prop Mike MacDonald.

Warriors director of rugby, John Brain, is keen to strengthen his front row after Neil Lyman retired after last season despite Argentinian prop Emiliano Bergamaschi having been brought in.

Brain said: "He's in this country visiting friends and we've invited him to train with us. It's early days but he's certainly a strong man and he's done a bit of work with us.

"We'll see how he fares in training. We've got him up until the Llanelli game [on August 20]."

MacDonald, aged 24, made his international debut against Fiji in July 2000, while still a teenager, and has won 35 caps. The 6ft 1in prop played in all four of his country's World Cup matches in Australia in 2003 and was captain of the 2004 All-American squad.

Worcester's England international Pat Sanderson will be the club's captain for the Premiership season. The former Harlequins flanker skippered England during this summer's successful Churchill Cup campaign in Canada after leading Worcester to a ninth-place Premiership finish.

He said: "I am hopeful that our second season in the Premiership will further show the other clubs that we really mean business."

Two Midlands referees, Bruce Robertson and Adrian Hartwell, have been promoted for next season.

Stratford-based Robertson, who is employed at Land Rover, has been elevated to the Elite Referee Unit Panel which means that he will take charge of some Guinness Premiership matches for the first time.

Hartwell, based in Wellingborough, has been promoted to the National Panel and will take charge of matches at National Two and National Three North and South.