FORMER Australia coach John Connolly believes Chris Latham could prove to be the greatest signing in Warriors' rugby history.

Connolly knows Latham's game inside-out having coached reputedly the best full-back in the world at Queensland Reds before the pair were reunited during Australia's World Cup campaign when they lost to England in September's quarter-finals.

Despite taking Latham's claims of having the best days of his career still ahead of him at the age of 32 with a pinch of salt, in every other aspect Connolly expects the second highest try-scorer in Australian rugby history to be a match-winner for Worcester in the Premiership and Europe.

"I remember watching Chris at the start of his career when he was at New South Wales Waratahs and he could hardly kick the ball but now he's up with the best players in the world," Connolly said.

"He could be the best signing in Worcester's history. Chris is obsessed about training hard and keeping fit after all the injury problems he's had, so it's not uncommon for him to train on his days off or when everyone else has gone home which shows just how committed he is.

"I'm not sure about his best days being ahead of him at the age of 32 but when he's fit he's a wonderful player and Worcester have done well to sign him."

Queensland skipper John Roe added his voice to the chorus of tributes for Latham who will bring the curtain down on his Southern Hemisphere career after the Super 14 season next year.

After much soul-searching, Latham rejected an Australian Rugby Union (ARU) offer to sign a three-year contract for the Warriors.

Roe believes he made the right decision even though it will put paid to his international career before the 2010 World Cup in New Zealand.

"It's disappointing he's leaving but I understand why he is," Roe said.

"It was an incredibly tough decision for him. We're sad to see him go and we'll miss him, because he's not just in good form at the moment but I agree with him - he's getting better.

"He's had a long break now (after a cruciate ligament injury last year), where physically he's pretty much reinvented his body. He's in better nick now than I've ever seen him before."