DEPARTING number eight Blair Cowan has spoken of his disappointment at not being offered a contract to remain with Warriors.

The former Cornish Pirates back-rower grew tired of waiting for Richard Hill to discuss new terms with him and was eventually left with little option but to sign for London Irish.

Warriors’ Aviva Premiership rivals obviously saw something in the Kiwi that Hill didn’t as they were happy to hand him a three-year deal to secure his services.

However, Cowan insists he is not bitter with how things have panned out at Sixways and will continue to give his all for the club.

“I wasn’t offered anything at Worcester, but that’s the nature of the beast,” the 26-year-old forward said.

“Obviously, I’m not fitting the bill for them and you have to respect that, so this is a new door opening for me and a new challenge.

“It was disappointing, but there are many factors behind it.

“I was a bit delayed this year with a slight injury and that didn’t help my cause. I have to respect what they say and move on.

“At the end of the day, all I can do is prove what they’re missing out on.

“I was a little bit surprised when I was told I wouldn’t be getting another contract.

“It wasn’t so much that Richard Hill said a clear-cut ‘there’s no contract for you’ but more that he wanted to keep having a look and waiting until I was back playing again.

“In this day and age, you can’t really take that risk and it got to the point that there was nothing there, so I had to take what was on the table.

“I look back on my injury at the start of this season and it wasn’t so much how long I was out for, it was the timing of it.

“I picked up the injury in my first pre-season game and that was when I wanted to set a base for the whole season.

“After that, it is hard to get back in the side and prove yourself again.

“The timing was unlucky and it meant I didn’t get a massive chance.”

Speaking to Cowan, you are immediately struck by his passion for the game and a simple desire to make his family back home in New Zealand proud of him.

He added: “No matter where I play or who I play for, no matter the circumstances behind the scenes, I will always put my heart and soul into what happens on the pitch.

“To me, that’s not even a professional thing; that’s just me as a player — I just love the game of rugby.

“To run out in front of 10,000 people against top-flight sides, everything is there for you to prove.

“I have a lot to prove and I will still be playing for the Warriors jersey — I’ve got five big games left here and that is huge for me. I want to make my family back home proud of me.”

With this in mind, Warriors fans can rest assured there will be no questioning Cowan’s commitment to the cause for the remainder of his time in Gold ‘n’ Blue.