HEAD coach Carl Hogg has confirmed Warriors are trying to arrange “a development game” in August on the new artificial surface.

Warriors have arranged three warm-up matches away from home because the installation of their new main pitch will not be completed until the middle of August.

Warriors’ first friendly is at French Top 14 giants Clermont Auvergne on Friday, August 12.

Warriors will then make the trip to the Channel Islands to face Championship Jersey on Saturday, August 20 before travelling to Ireland to meet Munster on Friday, August 26.

Hogg said: “I think the nature of putting down the new facility has made it impossible to organise pre-season home friendlies at Sixways.

“We are trying to arrange a development fixture prior to that Munster weekend so there will be an opportunity for people to come down to Sixways but it’s yet to be confirmed.”

Warriors begin their Premiership season against star-studded European Championships Saracens at Twickenham on Saturday, September 3 (2pm).

And Hogg believes Warriors’ tough pre-season programme should stand them in good stead for the opening-day battle with the Premiership champions.

“I think they are great fixtures,” said Hogg.

“I think we have a really good balance with our pre-season fixtures.

“I think they are challenging but that’s what we want.

“If you have three relatively easy fixtures you are never quite sure where you sit when you hit that first game against Saracens.”

Hogg added: “I would rather have challenges that extend ourselves than competition that we can run through and get a result because we wouldn’t really find out the areas we need to develop and work on and also the areas that are going really well.”