HEAD coach Rory Duncan is being viewed as a potential future successor to director of rugby Alan Solomons at Worcester Warriors.

Chairman Bill Bolsover said he saw Duncan as “being able to take over” from Solomons whose contract runs out at the end of the 2019-20 season.

Duncan joined Warriors in the summer after ending his time as head coach at Pro 14 outfit Cheetahs and Bolsover said he had been “impressed” by the 41-year-old.

Over the past 11 years Worcester have undergone numerous managerial changes and failed to finish outside the Premiership’s bottom three.

But with 68-year-old Solomons taking over from Gary Gold in December last year and Duncan arriving in June Bolsover is keen to see continuity within the coaching structure.

“The next phase is much more about consolidation of where we are going to go,” Bolsover said.

“Poor old Worcester have messed around at the bottom of this league for years and it has got to change gear.

“That’s why I have put in this coaching squad because I see that as solid.

“I see Solly up there and Rory being able to take over. I see continuity on what we are doing on that side.

“Once you have got that the players beneath them will say ‘I don’t mind staying here because I don’t mind being trained by Rory’ and we say ‘Great as Rory is the director of rugby’ so you get this continuity.”

Warriors have continued their policy of promoting the head coach to director of rugby for the European Challenge Cup.

With Solomons taking more of a back-seat role over the next four weeks, Duncan will also take charge of the side for the Premiership Cup campaign which starts later this month.

On the impact of Duncan, Bolsover said: “It is early days in a sense.

“But we are impressed by Rory because he works as a team and that’s what you have got to do.”

Warriors kicked off their European quest with a stunning 38-27 victory over Stade Francais at the Stade Jean-Bouin last Saturday.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Paris Duncan insisted not a lot had changed since temporarily taking over the reins from Solomons but said he was “excited” by the position.

The former lock moved into coaching in 2012 and described Solomons as his “mentor”.

“Solly coached me (at Eastern Province Kings) and my first coaching job was organised through him,” Duncan said.

“We have continuously been in touch and then the opportunity came up here.

“The one thing Solly mentioned was the potential of this club.

“It was exciting for me to be able to come here and see if we could get the team to fulfil that potential.”

Duncan said he and his family had settled in the area and spoke of his desire to be at Warriors for the long run.

“We are in a house not too far down the road from here and the kids are in good schools,” Duncan said.

“My wife is enjoying life in Worcester so it has been good.”

The South African added: “I would like to be here for a while.

“With my personality when I commit to something I like to see it through.

“If we look at the youngsters coming through the academy system we have got some really exciting talent and if we can develop that and bring them through then I believe the future of the club is very healthy.”