RICHARD Hill believes new Worcester winger James Stephenson will be a big Warriors hit and says he is in the same mould as former Sixways speedsters Marcel Garvey and Miles Benjamin.

A one-time back-rower, Stephenson was converted to the wing at Bedford Blues and has taken the Championship by storm this season.

However, Hill refused to get too carried away, admitting it often takes players from the second tier a season before they get used to the step up to Aviva Premiership rugby.

The Worcester head coach said: “James is an ex-back row forward, so he is physical and loves the contact. He’s been converted to a winger and has worked hard with a sprint coach – he is very fast and explosive.

“We had two wingers last year in Marcel and Miles who were good, hard tacklers and James is certainly in that sort of mould. He’s not afraid to tackle and is a very powerful lad.”

Hill added: “Like Josh Drauniniu last year, James might take a season to understand how the Premiership works, so I’m not expecting him to come in and rip the place apart straight away. He will take a while to settle in and he will also be coming into a full-time environment after training just twice a week with Bedford.

“It will take a bit of time to adjust, just as Drauniniu and Josh Matavesi have done. They need to get used to the rigours of a full-time environment – they can do brilliant things, but also cock-ups can cost you a score and they are developing that consistency.”