MODERN day professional rugby is a world away from how the sport was in the amateur era, but Warriors lock James Percival is enjoying a little taste of the old school way of doing things at Sixways.

Looking around Worcester’s state-of-the-art headquarters, with the impressive multi-million pound stands and some of the best training and conditioning facilities in the country, it is nothing like the old-fashioned traditional rugby clubs Warriors faced in the Championship last term.

Places like the decrepid Mennaye Field in Penzance, Bedford’s sloping Goldington Road ground and the charming Old Deer Park, where London Welsh reside in the heart of leafy Richmond, are certainly rich in character, but undeniably poor in facilities.

Warriors head coach Richard Hill was one of the stars of the England team in the amateur days and he combines an old school ethos with the latest methods in his coaching style.

Summer signing Percival, who switched Harlequins for Warriors, sees a lot of his former Quins boss Dean Richards in Warriors coach Hill.

The former Worcester Sixth Form College pupil said: “To have played under Dean was a massive thing for me, so coming here under Hilly was very important.

“He is very like Deano in a way — there’s a little bit of old school about him. He’s a straight-up honest guy — if you get dropped he’ll be honest about why and will give you the opportunity to prove yourself again.

“That is only good for the team because it builds a good squad — no-one’s position is safe.

“If you’re going out there week in, week out knowing you are going to keep your place, you’re never going to succeed.”

Former Warriors academy player Percival added: “I’ve always wanted to come back to Worcester, my home club, and I want to go on and achieve things with them. I think we’ve got the team to do it.

“It was good to be back — it’s been six or seven years since I was here. It was good to get some game-time against Argentina — my first match in 15 months after my knee injury.

“The new players who’ve been brought in are making a massive difference and we’ve still got other players to get involved, people like Ceri Jones.

“The back-up we’ve got is amazing. Against Argentina, Tevita Taumoepeau came off the bench and it was like sitting in an armchair behind him in the scrum — after the first one I wanted to switch sides because it was too easy behind him!”