On its current trajectory the season no-one at Worcester wanted might just turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened to some of the younger Warriors.
Clearly that could all change if Richard Hill’s team implodes in the next three weeks, or chokes at any stage in the three weeks after that and misses out on promotion back to the Premiership.
But with his side virtually picking itself and ticking along nicely it is possible to see the faint outline of a job well done. Not that anyone is patting themselves on the back yet.
Especially not scrum-half Jonny Arr, who has made the No.9 shirt his own and played 23 games this season. During that time he has demonstrated a growing maturity that suggests many of last year’s lessons have been learned.
The half-back has prospered without Lewis Moody, Joe Worsley and Akapusi Qera in his face every week, to such an extent that if and when they return, he will be better able to cope.
“I have been able to try a few different things,” Arr admitted. “There have been a lot of things I have done this year perhaps I would not have thought of doing last year because of the pressure of the Premiership.
“It’s been good in that respect. Hopefully if we can secure promotion I can do it on a bigger stage. I would like to think I have been a bit more attacking this year, that’s something Hilly has picked up and made me work on. I am playing more heads up and looking for those gaps rather than just passing.”
“I have looked at videos from last year and perhaps you could argue I was not being a threat to opposition teams.
"It’s still important to get that ball away from the ruck but I definitely think I have been having more of a look at these gaps and keeping defenders on their toes.”
And the presence of Hill, who earned 29 caps England’s scrum-half, has been instrumental in that process.
A hard taskmaster, the former Bath general demands his scrum-halves practice their skills as a matter of course – and keep a homework diary to prove they have done so.
Arr has flourished: “With Hilly he has really looked at my game and told me the areas I can improve on. Hopefully playing a fair amount of rugby has helped me move on.
“I had a fair amount of game time last year but I got to a point where it was getting pretty tough mentally to come in after putting everything out on the pitch and coming away with such narrow losses.
“But this year with a winning mentality it’s been good, it gives you more of a chance and you feel a bit more confident to express yourself out there because there’s a bit less pressure on – during the main season at least.”
