WARRIORS director of rugby Mike Ruddock has welcomed the break from Guinness Premiership action provided by the cup competitions.

The Sixways chief believes teams would need massive squads to cope with the rigours of extended spells of high-intensity Premiership fixtures.

Although there is an argument the squad rotation policy that teams tend to employ for the LV Cup and the European competitions disrupts consistency, Ruddock insists it is necessary to keep his key players fresh for the ‘bread and butter’ of the GP.

The Warriors chief said: “With the intensity of Premiership matches, you would struggle to do something like eight games straight off — unless you have got a squad of 55 players!

“The magnitude and physicality of these games makes it almost a Test match level because there are so many international players out there.

“The Guinness Premiership has a slightly different way of playing than other competitions.

“There seems to be more contrast in some of the styles elsewhere, whereas in the Premiership it is pretty brutal at times in terms of the intensity and physicality with very little space as sides analyse each other so well.

“Everyone can predict what they are going to do next and are in place to stop them doing it.

“Finding space, quick ball and trying to be innovative is difficult.”

Worcester return to GP action tonight with the visit of Bath — the first of back-to-back Friday night games at Sixways — and Ruddock is happy with how his squad is looking.

He added: “It is vital to get momentum. That is why I took the decision to rest the guys I did. I didn’t want to be disrespectful to the LV Cup, but if we don’t give these two games our best shot, things could become very difficult for us.

“I took that decision to prioritise these two games, so it is highly important we put our best panel out and prepare properly and that is what we have done.”