DESPITE leading his country to unparalleled success, the Silver Fox still has the hunger for yet more glory and once again has the scent of success.

Geoff Cooke's seven-year reign as England boss ensured a legendary status in rugby but the Yorkshireman is desperate to add a few more chapters to his memoirs before he hangs up his tracksuit.

That involves taking Worcester into the top flight and despite the disappointment of Leeds earlier this month, he believes strongly that the club are on the right track.

Worcester, after Leeds' win at Exeter last night, trail the Tykes by five points and with only two games to go in National One this season, the Yorkshire club look set for promotion.

Cooke was brought to Worcester two years ago by Cecil Duckworth to spearhead the club's promotion charge and admitted, at the start of this season, that if they did not win the title he would have failed.

But with a points tally that stands at 105, only the harshest critic could describe the season as one of failure. In any other league, they would surely have been elevated into the next division.

He said: "On balance it has been a good season. We've been a bit inconsistent at times with some of our performances. However, it is going to be the most successful season in the club's history. If you look at cold, hard statistics we have only lost two games in a season which, on paper, has been excellent.

"The trouble is, of course, is that we look as if we will fall short of our major objective of promotion. Because of that, everything will be devalued. It is unfortunately very cut-throat in this particular league structure."

That is how the club are assessing the season but with relegated Rotherham likely to hold on to many of their players for the next campaign, Worcester's path to the promised land looks to blocked by an even tougher opponent than this year.

"They will receive a parachute payment of something like £750,000 and if they hang on to their players, they will be a daunting prospect.

"Rotherham have something which is priceless - Premiership experience. They have been playing week in, week out at the top level - something which is alien to us."

Cooke has continued with his hands-on coaching role this season, alongside director of coaching Adrian Skeggs, but with a shake-up in the summer he is likely to spend less time on the training pitch and more in the office.

The club are drawing up plans to become a public limited company and with the academy players beginning to show true promise, the future looks brighter than ever for Sixways supporters.

Cooke said: "I want to keep my involvement in Worcester. I feel as if I haven't finished the job I was brought here to do. I enjoy it immensely and feel the club have a very bright future."

"We are obviously moving in the right direction. Off the field, things are going very well. Our business side is going well - we're getting the infrastructure in place and the academy programme is starting to show signs of development now.

"I feel in the total package of the club, we have got a very healthy environment which I am quite pleased about. There is still work to be done but I certainly want to be involved in getting Worcester into the Premiership.

"What that will probably mean from my point of view is me being slightly less involved in a tracksuit basis next season. I would prefer to see another coach coming in to work with Adrian and myself and bring in someone who can probably spend more time with the players than I've been able to this season."

Worcester are keen on implementing a plan which should reap rewards for years to come.

Their academy is already bringing exciting talent such as Will Kershaw-Naylor and Chris Moule into Worcester's second string team - the Warriors - and with a pool of home-bred players already available to the coaches, the base of the club looks stronger than ever.

"We are starting to recruit good quality junior players from around the area so that eventually we don't have to rely on going out and buying players. We are then developing players who have been with Worcester for a number of years and know the culture of the club. It has to be the future because you then have players who want to be part not just of the team but of the club."

However, as the academy looks to bring through players, one product of it looks to be on the way out.

Andy Higgins, the 19-year-old centre who has already been called up by Clive Woodward for training, is now 80 per cent certain to join a Premiership club, according to Cooke.

"I think, if you put it in percentage terms, there is an 80 per cent chance he will leave in the summer - that is my gut feeling. I know he has his heart set on the Premiership and wants to play for England. I know he has been approached by several of the big clubs and I think it is probable that we'll lose him for next season."

"We could certainly offer him as much money as a Premiership club but for Andy - it's not the money. Playing for one of the big clubs in the top league is the attraction. I'm sure if one of the big clubs come in with an offer, he'll go."