IN something of a throw-back to the Halcyon days of amateur rugby, Worcester currently have a pair of farmers doing the dirty work in their front row.

Welsh duo Ceri Jones and Ed Shervington have been teaming up to great effect at the Warriors coalface, but neither are afraid to muck in off the field too.

While Jones admits his family sheep and beef farm near Usk is not quite in the same league as the Shervington family egg farm near Newport, Gwent, the duo regularly head back to Wales when training is over to put in a stint in their wellies.

Loosehead Jones, who won two caps for Wales, said: “Having two farmers in the front row does indeed hark back to the amateur days — it’s quite funny as Shervs and I both played for the same junior club — Newport High School Old Boys — but our paths didn’t really cross until we came to Worcester.

“It’s quite strange that we’re both farmers from the Newport area and we’ve ended up together here. We do compare farms a bit, but his is a tiny bit bigger than mine, which is a bit embarassing!

“I try to get back down to the farm to help out when I can, but I haven’t been able to do that much recently.

“It’s my dad and my brother doing all the work, but I do try to show my face and help out when I can.

“It’s a sheep and beef farm, but we won’t be moving into the egg market — I think Shervs has got that area all sown up! I wouldn’t want to tread on his toes as he gets a bit firey about it — he’s protective over his eggs!”

When hooker Shervington is not farming eggs he is chasing them for Worcester and the Warriors pack have been impressive this season, which Jones believes is down to the new-look coaching team.

The 35-year-old added: “I think, as with everything, it takes a little time to bed in, but the new ideas from Nigel Redman and Phil Vickery are working and the impact from those two guys has been huge.

“We had a ferocious training session this week — two packs really going head-to-head — and a few boys who have missed out on the team for a few weeks now are really gunning for the boys who are playing.

“Phil has valuable advice for us all — it’s not the big things as we’ve all played for quite a while now — but the intricate things he has picked up on for each of us to work on.

“He has suggested things for Euan, myself and Matt — all of us — to work on. Those are the fine details that can give you that little bit of edge on the weekend.”