THE new artificial pitch at Sixways should give Worcester Warriors an advantage in the upcoming campaign, according to head coach Carl Hogg.

The synthetic surface is being installed this summer and the work is expected to be completed by the middle of August.

Hogg has supported Warriors’ decision to move away from grass for their main pitch.

However, Warriors will have little time to play on the surface before hosting M5 rivals Gloucester in their first home Aviva Premiership fixture on Friday, September 9 (7.45pm).

“It’s essential we find our feet at home and make Sixways a very difficult place for teams to come,” said Hogg.

“With a new artificial surface, that should give us an added advantage playing on it every other week.

“It does change the dynamics of the game slightly and we need to get up to speed on that.

“But change is part and parcel of professional rugby now. Nothing stands still and that’s the one thing you can guarantee in sport.

“Things change whether it’s personnel, equipment or the manner of the game itself and an artificial surface is exactly the same.”

Warriors have arranged away friendlies against French giants Clermont Auvergne (August 12), Championship side Jersey (August 20) and Irish outfit Munster (August 26).

And Hogg revealed Warriors are planning to organise a “development game” at Sixways before the start of the Premiership season.

He continued: “We have a development game before the Gloucester match but we are fortunate we have also got a 4G crumb we can train on.

“During the season, we will look to train alternatively so the weeks we’re playing at home we will train on the 4G and the weeks we are away from home and due to play on grass we will train on a grass pitch. I think an artificial surface does change the dynamic of the game slightly, so our ability to train on both surfaces will be key.”

Warriors finished 10th in the Premiership last season as London Irish went down to the Championship.