WORCESTER Rugby Club have underlined their fighting fit policy by adopting judo into their training regime.

Sixways' director of rugby John Brain has drafted in martial arts expert Eddie Awford -- Worcester's 'Mr Judo' -- to ensure his squad belt up for their forthcoming National One campaign.

The new training is designed to improve Worcester players' ability to keep the ball when they run into contact.

"It is all designed to lower their centre of gravity," said Brain. "We are not trying to train street-fighters or encouraging brawling in the squad!

"We felt last season that the players were a bit too high when they were carrying the ball and the judo work concentrates on body position. The players will be looking at throwing techniques and basic judo activities. It is a different dimension and gets the players thinking about what they are doing. We are doing it regularly now and obviously feel it will make a difference next season."

Meanwhile, Brain is trying to set up a pre-season friendly for August 3 at Sixways after Bristol pulled out of a pre-arranged match under former coach Dean Ryan.

Worcester hope to play three times before the start of the league season on August 31 and have pencilled in a friendly with Ebbw Vale at Sixways on August 9 (7.15). They also have a match planned on August 21 as part of their tour of South Africa.

One player who looks likely to figure in the Ebbw Vale friendly is new signing Mark Gabey after the utility forward came through a knee operation successfully.

"He's had the operation and everything is very positive," Brain added. "We feel that it will be three weeks at the latest that he should be back in training so we are optimistic he will be OK for the Ebbw Vale friendly."