DIRECTOR of rugby Gary Gold says Worcester Warriors must improve and strive for consistency next season in a bid to steer clear of relegation.

Warriors’ Aviva Premiership campaign came to an end on Saturday with a 28-23 defeat to fourth-placed Leicester Tigers.

Worcester finish the season on 33 points after five wins, two draws and 15 losses but only one place above relegated Bristol.

Although Gold has seen improvements since his arrival in late January he insists they must get better as he looks ahead to an “even tougher” top flight next term.

“We can’t rest on our laurels because next year is going to be a new, fresh season,” he said.

“No disrespect to any other teams in the past few years but London Irish are not going to be a walkover so we have got our work cut out.

“We do have to improve because the competition is going to get even tougher.

“There are only two consistent teams in the whole Premiership this year and they are Saracens and Exeter. Everybody else has lost to everybody else at one stage or another.

“If you consider a team like Wasps went to Halequins and lost that’s how tough this league is so you have to be at your best every single week.

“If you take your eye off the ball before you know it you are struggling down in the relegation zone so I would really like the club to be in a position where we can continue to improve without having this relegation hanging over us.”

Warriors have chalked up 56 tries this term with three coming against Leicester as Chris Pennell, Bryce Heem and Wynand Olivier going over.

But ill-discipline cost them dear as Freddie Burns racked up 23 points, including converting Tom Youngs’ first-half try.

Despite the loss Gold believes their performance against high-flying opponents “bodes well” for the future as they attempt to notch up more victories.

“We need to win more consistently,” he said.

“You have seen now there are no excuses about injuries or anything.

Sixways is one of the best stadiums to play at in the country and we are certainly one of the best-supported groups in the country so we have got a responsibility for them.

“We have scored 56 tries in the season so we are up there with try-scoring and in the last couple of weeks we have managed to shut down a bit (defensively).

“If we are losing by a single score to a top-four team and you feel there is room for improvement then hopefully that bodes well.

“But I think it is important (that we are going in the right direction).

“We have that responsibility to the players and the players have that responsibility to us and we all have that responsibility to our stakeholders and supporters.”