CHRIS Simpson-Daniel admits he is under pressure with the arrival of new boy Richard Jarman but will let his rugby do the talking against his old club this afternoon.

Simpson-Daniel lines up against Wakefield knowing that the new scrum-half on the block - Kiwi Jarman - will be watching his every move.

Jarman completed his move to Sixways on Thursday from New Zealand side Taranaki to put further pressure on the former College Grove player.

The 22-year-old has only just regained his place in the Worcester Rugby Club side after displacing Ricky Pellow but is philosophical about the fierce competition for places.

He said: "Things don't change at Worcester, there is always the competition for your spot in the team.

"I've just got back into the team and it looks like there is going to be a dog-fight for the number nine shirt again.

"It's something which is good for the team because the last thing you want is a player to be complacent in a squad.

"I don't think even the skipper Alistair Murdoch is guaranteed a place in the starting line-up so it is important that you perform well on the pitch if you want to keep the shirt."

He added: "The second team won really well on Wednesday night so you never know whether you'll be in the side or not. When we come down to watch them we are sort of hoping they are not really outstanding because you are worried about your place!"

The former Wakefield man was also hoping to make quite an impression on his old club at Sixways.

He said: "You always try that extra bit harder in training for games against your old club because you want to prove a few people wrong. Things didn't go that well for me at Wakefield so I'm just glad to be top of the league with Worcester now."

The England under-21 said he thought new director of coaching Adrian Skeggs had brought a fresh approach to Sixways which was now being reflected in the results.

He said: "It's much tougher this season, there is no slacking. Everybody who is injured is fighting to get back into the team because they know they cannot just come back in, they have to earn the right.

"Training is much harder and much more direct."

Amazingly, Simpson-Daniel also admitted he did not even know the game plan last season under Les Cusworth.

He said: "At least we know where we are going now. Last season I did not have a clue what the game plan was. This year it is set in stone and everyone knows what they are doing.

"I think last year it fell away and a lot of players just did not know what was expected."

However, he knows now and so, you sense, does new-boy Jarman who begins his fight for the number nine jersey next week.

Simpson-Daniel is already on his guard.

"I'm not going to just give up the shirt, I'll fight him all the way for it," he added.