JOHN Brain believes he can find a winning team formula before Worcester Rugby Club go head to head with promotion rivals Rotherham just four weeks into the new season.

The new Sixways chief, who was yesterday joined by assistant Stephen Townend, was pleased with the provisional fixture list for National One and is determined to have his side firing on all cylinders by the time Rotherham come to town.

The head coach faces the task of instilling a team spirit and pattern of play with his new players after a summer of comings and goings.

However, that role was made slightly easier with the news of Worcester's first fixtures which will give them the chance to make a positive start.

They open at home to Alex Keay's Manchester on September 1 before welcoming Birmingham and Solihull to Sixways a week later. Their first away match is at Henley on September 15, before Rotherham arrive at Worcester for a potentially explosive encounter seven days later.

Clashes

The return match with the South Yorkshire outfit is on January 26 while key clashes with Moseley are at home on December 29 and, tantalisingly, at Bournbrook on the final day, April 13.

Brain officially starts work on Monday as the players report back for pre-season training and is confident he can get his new side off to a good start.

"It's important that we start at home," he said. "It gives us a chance to get off to a good start and build confidence in front of our own supporters.

"If we start well in our first three games it will get the momentum going before the Rotherham match which is obviously very important."

But Worcester failed to take maximum points from Birmingham and Henley away last season and those results were at the forefront of Brain's thoughts.

"Worcester did not perform against Birmingham last season and struggled at Henley so they will be tough games. All we can do is make sure we prepare in the best possible way and if we play to our potential, then we should be up there with Rotherham."

Worcester's provisional fixture list for the new season is as follows:

September

1 Manchester H

8 Birmingham H

15 Henley A

22 Rotherham H

29 London Welsh A

October

6 Coventry H

13 Cup Round 3

20 Wakefield A

27 Otley A

November

3 Cup Round 4

10 Bracknell H

17 Bedford A

24 Cup Round 5

December

1 Rugby Lions H

8 Exeter A

15 Cup Round 6

29 Moseley H

January

5 Manchester A

12 Birmingham A

19 Henley H

26 Rotherham A

February

2 London Welsh H

9 Coventry A

23 Wakefield H

March

9 Otley H

16 Bracknell A

23 Bedford H

30 Rugby Lions A

April

6 Exeter H

13 Moseley A