FIT-AGAIN forward Matt Cox is happy to be back at a “springy” Sixways as he looks to launch himself into Worcester Warriors’ Aviva Premiership side.

The experienced back rower has another chance to impress director of rugby Alan Solomons when he lines up against Exeter Chiefs in the Anglo-Welsh Cup today (3pm).

After four months out with a bicep injury, Cox made his first start since September in the European Challenge Cup clash at Brive last Saturday.

Worcester lost 33-7 in a game marred by treacherous conditions and a four-and-a-half hour delay after changing venues.

Although disappointed to see Warriors get knocked out of the competition, Cox was pleased to come through unscathed.

“Playing against a big French outfit in those conditions was a dogfight,” Cox said.

“But I felt pretty good in contact and am confident now especially after playing 80 minutes.”

With the pitch at Stade Amedee-Domenech waterlogged, the Pool Five decider was moved to a rain-soaked Stade Alexandre Cueille in Tulle.

But Cox said: “The replacement pitch wasn’t much better.

“It was very soft underfoot and when it came to scrummaging we were trying to push against them but were constantly slipping.

“They were giving us a bit of a hard time up front and it took until the second half to realise how to manage the conditions.”

After battling in the mud, Cox, 29, was delighted to return to Warriors’ artificial pitch and get the ball moving.

“We did a conditioning game on our pitch on Monday and it felt so springy,” he said.

“It was completely different as you could actually pass the ball without getting covered in mud.

“I much prefer a 4G pitch as it makes the game a lot faster and fairly dry.”

Cox last featured in the Aviva Premiership when Warriors crashed 41-10 to Exeter at Sixways before injuring his bicep in training.

The ex-Gloucester man looks to cement his place ahead of Worcester’s league fixture at Chiefs on February 10.

Cox added: “Hopefully I am involved next week as well (at Dragons) to get more game time before the Premiership and can put my hand up (for selection).

“Our training sessions are very competitive as there are a lot of hungry lads who want to put a marker down and I am one of them.”