FORMER director of rugby Steve Diamond has confirmed he had the RFU's blessing for a takeover bid to buy Worcester Warriors.

Diamond was one of the four bids on the table for administrators Begbies Traynor to consider, but they went with Atlas Worcester Warriors RFC, led by Jim O'Toole and James Sandford. 

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The owners revealed their widely criticised plans for the future on Thursday, which included bringing local club Stourbridge RFC to Sixways and rebranding them as 'Sixways Rugby'.

Diamond questioned a lot of what the Atlas group released to the public on Thursday, mainly the dropping of the 'Worcester Warriors' name.

"I think it’s very upsetting and disappointing," he said too BBC Hereford & Worcester on Friday morning.

"‘Sixways Rugby’ might be desired by some but Worcester is a proud city and cities are proud of their sporting teams.

"Sixways is a roundabout on the M5. The people who takeover the legacy of Mr Cecil Duckworth have to have a plan for Worcester Warriors, they have to.

"I knew that any business plan had to stand up to rigorous questioning and that appears to not have happened.

"If it were up to me, I would be playing in the championship in September.

"Our plan (together with local businessman Adam Hewitt) was accepted by RFU and we agreed to every point the RFU put in front of us. Every point they put in front of us we agreed with including paying back the rugby creditors."

The issues with the rugby creditors is one that has raised plenty of concerns.

It currently stands that none of the £8 million owed to players, staff, sponsors, local businesses will be repaid.