WORCESTER Warriors have restructured and expanded their backroom staff ahead of the club’s return to the Aviva Premiership.

Stuart Pickering has been promoted to head of strength and conditioning to replace Keir Hansen, who has returned to his native New Zealand following a five-year stay at Sixways.

Scott Pearson, who has worked at Sale and Doncaster, will be the assistant coach to Pickering, while Kyle Goggin has been brought in for the newly created role of sports scientist.

The work of international sport nutritionist Adam Carey played a huge role for Warriors last season as a leaner, fitter and stronger squad won promotion from the Championship and he has signed a new two-year deal to continue his pioneering work at the club.

Tracey Priddey will carry on as the playing department chef, a position that was created during the Championship season.

Ben Macdonald (head) and Mike Lancaster (senior physiotherapist) lead the medical services team with Terry Gasper continuing as club doctor.

Karl Denvir steps up from the role of academy physiotherapist to be the newly-created rehabilitation co-ordinator and he will concentrate on the players ruled out through injury.

John Chaffe, who previously worked with the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) scheme at Sixways, has his first permanent contract as academy physiotherapist.

Simon Lane is the new AASE co-ordinator and will work alongside Chaffe and strength and conditioning coach Ryan Fisher, who will oversee the ASSE scheme, and be supported by Chim Gale and Jamie Bates.

With Warriors since 2006, Tom Tench, who is completing his masters in performance analysis, is promoted to become senior performance analyst.

The restructuring of the Sixways backroom staff follows an independent audit carried out across the medical services and strength and conditioning departments.

A number of support staff have left Warriors with Mike Hall and Matt Sherratt joining Bristol as academy manager and coach respectively, while Lee Cleaver has left his position as academy strength and conditioning coach to move to Cyprus.