WORCESTER Rugby Club have snapped up four more new players to take their number of close-season signings to 19.

They are the last few pieces of the jigsaw in Worcester's bid to clinch promotion from the Allied Dunbar Premiership Two next season.

The latest recruits are current Italian international hooker Andrea Moretti, Samoan international centre Laulala Langkilde, Australian first grade back-row forward David Fryday and former England Under 21 scrum-half Ricky Pellow.

Sixways Chief Executive Geoff Cooke said today: "Langkilde strengthens our centre field, Fryday strengthens our back row and Moretti and Pellow become our third hooker and scrum-half respectively.

"Our aim this year is to finish first in Division Two and gain promotion. These four additional signings complete the first team squad."

Twenty eight year old Moretti joins Worcester from the Petrarca club and represented Italy in this season's Six Nations Championship.

He is 5ft 8ins tall, weighs 15 stone 4lbs and played for Italy in the 1999 World Cup.

Langkilde is aged 29 and has represented Samoa since 1992, playing in the World Cup and South African series.

He is 14 stone 9lbs and 5ft 7ins tall and has played club rugby in Japan, for Auckland in New Zealand and also in Samoa.

Twenty eight year old Fryday is 6ft 2ins tall, weighs 16 stone 5lbs and plays either flanker or number eight.

He has played for Eastwood in Australia, captaining the side, and has also represented Australian Universities.

Pellow, aged 22, moves to Sixways from Bath and has previously played at Exeter and Redruth.

He is 5ft 8ins tall, weighs 13 stone and has represented England at Under 16, Colts and Under 21 level.

The latest arrivals takes Worcester's first team squad to 34.

Meanwhile, Worcester Ladies have signed two current England internationals for the new season.

Prop forward Mandy Palmer-Norrie and wing Katie Mullen have both joined Sixways for the 2000/2001 campaign.

Prop Palmer-Norrie, aged 28, joins Worcester from Premiership side Old Leamingtonians. Mullen, aged 21, is a student at Loughborough University and signs from Division Two side Lichfield.