WORCESTER Warriors’ “fantastic” new artificial surface is set to be unveiled on Friday – two weeks ahead of schedule.

Excitement is building at the Aviva Premiership club ahead of the completion of the state-of-the-art turf, which Warriors’ players could step out on for the first time on Monday.

Work has been underway at the Sixways Stadium to rip up the old grass pitch and convert to the latest generation of synthetic surface since early June.

And chief executive Jim O’Toole confirmed workers were close to finishing the project - less than a month before the new season starts.

“It’s all done and the sand base started going in on Monday morning and we will be finished by Friday,” he said.

“It’s two weeks ahead of schedule. The project management company and the various contractors we had in have done a tremendous job and we have been lucky with the weather.”

While Saracens and Newcastle Falcons have switched to synthetic, Warriors will be the first in the UK to feature an organic infill rather than rubber crumb, meaning players can still get muddy.

“It looks fantastic,” O’Toole added.

“It’s not quite finished yet, but the grass is sitting up nice and straight now as it has been fluffed up by a special piece of equipment and the organic infill is now the final element which gives it its unique proposition.”

The new turf, which will cost Warriors a significant six-figure fee, allows more use for the club’s elite, academy and community rugby sections as well as hosting events and reducing maintenance costs.

It is also expected to offer players a consistently high-quality surface all year and in all weather conditions for training and playing.

Warriors’ players are set to go to the French Alps for gruelling 12-day training camp, but O’Toole says they may get the chance to test out their new pitch before jetting off next week.

“The guys go away on Monday to do altitude training, but they may have a run on it that day,” he said.

“If not, it will be when they come back on August 14 and then we have the two development games on August 18 (against Bristol) and August 24 (Colwyn Bay’s RGC) – both of which will be played on the pitch.

“Worcester Valkyries will be also training on it for the next week or two.”