WARRIORS chairman Cecil Duckworth says the club will not be afraid to dip into their pool of young talent when the new campaign starts.

With the threat of relegation hanging over Sixways for the whole of last season, there were few opportunities to blood promising youngsters.

But Duckworth believes that could all change when the new season gets under way, even though new director of rugby Mike Ruddock is expected to recruit a number of high-profile players.

"There are a number of very promising, young talents," said Duckworth. "Mike will be assessing that and seeing if we can integrate them. There are opportunities to do that before you fully blood them.

"We have started to integrate some of our boys from the academy, players like James Collins and Will Bowley.

"There are a few others there that train with the first team, like Callum Black and Matt Mullan."

Duckworth admits the "core of the side" will be made up of the senior players who are already under contract for next season.

But some of those players, who signed new deals during the last few months of John Brain's tenure, may still be on their way out of Sixways as Ruddock begins to rebuild.

The ex-Wales head coach has been strongly linked with British Lions outside-half Gavin Henson, who was integral to the principality's Grand Slam success of 2005. Ruddock is keen to improve the standard within the Worcester team and believes his side can follow other clubs who have experienced life in National Division One recently.

"Teams like Harlequins and Bristol have been pretty inspirational in what they have achieved and we have got to do something similar," he added.