JOHN Brain has been named Guinness Premiership Director of Rugby of the Month for March after guiding the Worcester Warriors to three successive victories.

Warriors have claimed crucial wins over Bath Rugby, Sale Sharks and Newcastle Falcons in a thrilling month as they climbed off the foot of the table.

Brain's work to mastermind the March success has now been rewarded on the eve of the trip to Bristol with a top award.

However, the Sixways boss remains focused on the task of keeping Warriors in the top-flight.

"While I'm pleased to win this individual award, I see it as reconginition for all the hard work put in by both players and staff in starting to turn our season around," said Brain.

Brain remains optimistic about keeping Guinness Premiership rugby at Sixways next season.

"We have not spent a lot of time contemplating relegation," he said. "I have not once sat down and thought for any prolonged period about life in National League One. I have always felt that we have got the capacity to get ourselves out of trouble and I still very much believe that."

The voting panel consisted of five members of the rugby media and the Professional Rugby Players Association representative from each of the 12 Guinness Premiership clubs.

Voting panel chairman, Sky's Miles Harrison, said: "It's not very often that a boss towards the lower reaches of the table wins an award like this but he has overseen a dramatic turn in his club's fortunes during March.

"Although John knows that his work this season is far from done, his achievements over the last few weeks attracted almost unanimous support from the voting panel."