THE flood of new players to Sixways has been matched by a wave of departures including several first-teamers from last season.

They include top points scorer Richard Le Bas and his fellow New Zealander back row forward Richard Hilton-Jones who have both been released.

Centre Nigel Richardson has retired at the age of 28 to concentrate on his teaching career, while injury has forced flanker Chris Scott to quit.

Another flanker Gary Clark has joined Walsall and loan signing John Devereux has returned to Wales by signing for Bridgend.

Stand-off Niall Malone has returned to Northern Ireland after less than a season at Sixways and last month full back John Liley moved to Doncaster.

Lock Alastair Bailey has moved to Australia, while full-back Tim Smith announced his retirement before the end of last season.

Smith has started a new role as assistant to the club's press officer Nicola Goodwin.

Director of Rugby Les Cusworth said the decision to release the two Kiwis was a difficult one.

Both stand-off Le Bas and Hilton-Jones have been key members of the Worcester squad during the last two seasons.

Le Bas topped the points scoring table with 159, including 26 conversions, 29 penalties and four tries.

But their value to Worcester was undermined by the link with Auckland Blues which will affect the club's restrictions on foreign players.

"It was a difficult decision to release both players but the trading company felt the time was right," said Cusworth.

"Both are tremendous athletes and players and have been a credit to both themselves and Worcester."

Malone signed in the autumn from Leicester but never established himself as a first team regular.

Injuries blighted Chris Scott's final season at Worcester and he did not play after the second match of the campaign way back in September.

John Devereux was signed on loan from Sale, but the 33-year-old former Welsh international did not impress enough to earn a full-time contract.