IN terms of the appointment of Nigel Redman as Warriors’ new forwards coach, Worcester’s gain is very much the RFU’s loss.

The experienced and widely-respected former Bath and England second row left his post after eight years as coach to the RFU national academy and the country’s under 20s and as elite coach development manager.

Redman has gone full circle in his career, having left Sixways to become a national academy coach in 2004.

He helped to develop current senior internationals such as Alex Corbisiero, Courtney Lawes, Charlie Sharples, Joe Simpson, Jordan Turner-Hall and Ben Youngs.

Kevin Bowring, head of elite coach development at the RFU, said: “Nigel will be sorely missed by us all and he has made a great contribution in his time at the RFU.

“He developed and grew as a coach working with young players, then applied his skills and qualities to coaching coaches and I’m sure he’ll use those qualities to great effect at Worcester.

“He used his knowledge, experience and creative thinking to support me in the running of our elite coach development programme and, as an educator and mentor, he helped others to solve their problems and challenged them to do things differently.

“I know his efforts have been greatly appreciated by coaches in rugby and at UK Sport where he’s been influential as well.

“I wish him all the very best of luck at Worcester and I am sure this experience will further help him to grow as a person and as a coach.”

Redman said: “Kevin, Rob Andrew (professional rugby director) and Nathan Martin (professional rugby general manager) at the RFU have been very supportive in getting me to where I am and in making my decision and now I’m looking forward to working with Richard Hill, the coaches, players and people at Worcester.

“I’ve worked with great people on and off the field at the RFU. Over that time there’s been a rise in the number of good young players coming through and the way clubs and country have worked together has been brilliant.

“We’ve worked with an increasing number of coaches at Premiership and Championship level and see more and more taking their coaching badges, and the increasing number taking their skills back into clubs is very exciting for the game.”