DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Ryan believes new arrivals Sam Lewis and Cooper Vuna are the missing pieces in Worcester Warriors’ promotion jigsaw.

The Warriors’ chief says he had been tracking the pair’s progress and is delighted to bring them into the fold for the club’s promotion play-off push.

Lewis, a back row forward, has joined from Welsh region Ospreys and Vuna is an Australian left-winger who has been plying his trade in Japanese rugby.

Ryan had previously only signed one player from Japan – New Zealander Willie Walker, who had stints at Gloucester and Warriors.

“Cooper disappeared into a black hole, which is Japanese rugby,” added Ryan.

“Cooper was last playing for Australia against Wales before he went to play in Japan so we know what he can do.

“We wanted something different to what we have got just to make sure we have all our bases covered.

“We became aware of Cooper, followed him and we know about his time with Melbourne Rebels and his rugby league stuff but he then disappeared off the radar.

“From a glimpse, we know he offers something different and, as a coach and as a team, it gives us more choices of whatever we need going into the latter stages of the season and going forward.

“Both players are about the future at Sixways and not just about the next 10 or 12 weeks.

“You need different ways of doing things and both of them excite me.

“Cooper has got power and pace and it gives us something different.

“He isn’t a straight-line runner like a Ben Howard or a Sam Smith. We are trying to build layers to make us stronger.”

Ryan is pleased to have secured the services of Lewis, who had grown frustrated at Ospreys in the shadow of Welsh international Justin Tipuric.

“We had Sam under contract next year and we knew about the potential to come early,”said Ryan.

“We expressed an interest and then Sam resolved the issue with the Ospreys.

“Sam is an out-and-out on the ground player and an outand- out link-man — we have not got another number seven in the squad who can do that,” said Ryan.