WITH just over a month to go until pre-season training begins, Worcester Rugby Club are already playing catch-up.

The indecision which has become almost a byword for English rugby today has already handicapped the Sixways club for next season's all-important campaign.

Last week we saw the departure of Martin Morgan and Tim Walsh while Jim Jenner looks set to jump ship to Birmingham & Solihull and Chris Pearson has gone home to South Africa. Before that, the club had released James Ogilvie-Bull, Will Wigram and James Parkes while Tom Richardson is still training with the squad hoping for a new deal.

In reality, it is only Walsh's exit which will cause headaches at Sixways because the rest couldn't get a game. Nevertheless, when you take into account the loss of Craig Hudson, then Chris Catling and Craig Quinnell, the squad is already cut by 11 names while injury victims Richard Bates and Richard Nias are doubts for new contracts after struggling with so many problems last season.

To lose a third of your squad at this point of the season is not the end of the world if you have people lined up to come to Worcester. But at present, there is still uncertainty about the coaching staff, never mind the players.

With promotion hopefuls Orrell already actively recruiting for next season, Worcester have to start pulling some rabbits out of the hat if they are to stay as favourites for promotion next season. If they can add another 10 quality players to the existing squad then they will be in business but quality has to be the key word.

Too many squad members last season failed to make any impact whatsoever and when injuries to key players such as Ben Hinshelwood and Mark Gabey arrived, they couldn't be replaced. Loans are always an option but, as Worcester found to their considerable cost with Quinnell, they are not always advisable.

Next season really is do or die for Worcester. Chairman Cecil Duckworth has pledged to fund another campaign and it could well be argued that this is the best chance ever of making it to the promised land if, as we expect, automatic promotion is on the table.

Relegated Bristol are in free-fall. They are losing players day after day and are in a dreadful state financially. Even parachute payments are unlikely to transform the club into a true competitor next season. So if you take Rotherham out of the equation, we are left with Worcester, Orrell and Exeter as the main men.

If Bristol cannot compete then Worcester have a golden opportunity here. If they can keep the nucleus of the squad together and add to it with quality then they will undoubtedly be more than competitive.

The clock is ticking, though, and if Worcester want to again be ranked as number one contenders, they have to start punching their weight in the transfer market.

This time it is quality, not quantity which is needed.

MARK DOBSON