MIKE Ruddock's reputation as one of the most progressive rugby coaches around was firmly established when he oversaw Wales' Six Nations Grand Slam victory in 2005.

He transformed the national side from the Northern Hemisphere's whipping boys to the most exciting team in Europe and delivered the prize most coveted by a nation starved of rugby success for decades.

Now that Ruddock has returned to front-line coaching at Worcester, what most of the club's fans want to know is whether they will see their team adopt the same spirit of adventure and exhilarating style of rugby which typified the Wales side of two years ago.

"I don't think we can go from A' straight to B'," said Ruddock. "There has got to be some steps along the way. We have got to move things forward towards a very expansive and open game.

"When I met the players, I was at pains to point out that I didn't want to lose the strength of our game - the scrum, line-out - and the defence in the second half of the season was excellent."

Since Ruddock was installed as director of rugby in the wake of John Brain's departure at the start of the month, a wind of change has already blown through Sixways.

Pictures of Warriors players at their try-scoring best now adorn the walls and there are signs Ruddock's contagious enthusiasm is rubbing off on others.

Ruddock said: "I met with the players the day after my first press conference and went through some of my thoughts and philosophy on the game with them.

"The feedback I had from the captain, Pat Sanderson, was that the players were very responsive and open to some new ideas and a style of rugby that would offer challenges to them."

Ruddock's capacity to think outside the box was clearly instrumental to Wales' success - however short-lived it proved to be.

While he is full of admiration for the manner in which Brain produced one of the best-drilled packs in the country, he will adopt a very different approach to his predecessor.

Clive Griffiths - who worked alongside Ruddock as Wales' defence coach during their Grand Slam success -takes on the mantle of head coach, while Billy McGinty remains on the payroll - albeit in a different capacity.

"At the moment I am very pleased with the coaching team," said Ruddock. "I will have charge of team tactics and selection. I will have a big input with the team and the forwards in particular.

"Clive Griffiths has got a wealth of experience. He will have responsibility for our back-line and our defence in particular.

"I am delighted Billy McGinty is staying with us. His role will be as a skills coach and a player development coach."

McGinty's knowledge of Worcester's current crop of players will prove invaluable.

He will be charged with devising individual programmes for each member of the squad, which they will follow throughout the season.

The former Wigan rugby league star will also provide the link between the academy and the senior players.

"Billy's role is to make sure everything is joined up," said Ruddock. The Sixways supremo's blueprint includes developing more home-grown talent but he admits he will have to look externally for the club's first batch of new recruits.

"I am working hard to try to attract some quality players with the right skills to complement the players we have got here," he said.

"I want to make signings because I want the club to do very well and I want the supporters to be very interested in the squad and the quality of players that we can assemble."