IT is a big challenge for all of us at Worcester this year but I can assure the supporters it is one the squad are relishing.

There has been much change at the club during the summer, something I think the fans are getting used to, but looking through the quality of the players, I think we are quietly confident of success. I once won promotion with Cross Keys and it was a fantastic experience to be part of. I would dearly love to skipper a side to the National One title this season.

It is a massive honour for me to be made captain of Worcester and in the short space of time since my departure from Gloucester I have been made so welcome by the existing players who have been fantastic. Pre-season has been a vital period for the boys to get to know one another and to make sure we are all singing from the same hymn sheet.

The trip to Ireland earlier in the month played an integral part in team building when many issues were brought up and dealt with. The head coach John Brain was keen for the players to air their concerns for the season ahead and then work through them. One of the main points to come out of those meetings was the need to be completely professional on and off the field.

I think we owe it to ourselves and the supporters to keep focused on the job in hand. The players decided that if they wanted to go out and drink during the week then they should not be here. We don't feel it is acceptable to be seen in a pub when we should be looking after ourselves in preparation for a vital match. This is not something the coach laid down, this rule came from meetings with all the players.

Worcester supporters pay good money to come and watch us and that support should be rewarded with respect from the players. The last thing they should see is one of the squad members drinking in the pub.

Rugby has always been seen as a game intrinsically linked to beer. That is all very well in the amateur section but alcohol and professional sport just do not mix. That is what we are - professionals - and what is the point in training so hard and then wasting all the work by drinking afterwards?

Our alcohol rule applies to everyone in the squad and if it is abused, the players won't be picked. They will also be letting down the rest of the squad. We made the rules of what is and what isn't acceptable this season and we will stick to that.

Players should never forget that they have a fantastic job at Worcester. It is hard work, don't get me wrong, but we could be stuck in a factory all week instead of playing a game we have loved from childhood for a living.

Manchester will be a tough test on Saturday and they probably think, after watching our weekend defeat at Sale, that they can come here and beat us. It was a hard game for us especially the way Jason Robinson was looking. What I would ask from the supporters is a bit of patience because we have a number of new players and things will take time. If it's 6-6 with 20 minutes to go, don't panic because I think we will beat a lot of sides in this league in the final quarter of the match. We should be a lot fitter and stronger than the part time teams. However, rugby is still 15 against 15 and any side can cause you problems on their day.

It will be a long season and the expectancy levels here are phenomenal but that's what I've been used to throughout my career. Everybody is expecting a two horse race for promotion but I have a feeling that some other sides will be there or thereabouts. Most of the top clubs in National One have recruited well and I think teams such as Birmingham and Solihull will surprise a few people while Exeter and Moseley will always provide tough opposition.

The games against Rotherham will obviously be absolutely vital but just as important are the matches before and after. We cannot afford to isolate games because they are all ones which deserve 100 per cent commitment if we want to achieve our objective of promotion.

People have said we need to win every match but that sort of talk just puts everyone under pressure from the off. And what happens if we lose a game in September? Is the season over? Of course not. We will fight until the very end. Rotherham will be tough this season but they can still drop points, especially away from home.

I cannot wait to lead the side out against Manchester and kick-off Worcester's season. With the crowd's support we can make this a year to remember.