JOHN Brain believes the early signs of team building at Worcester Rugby Club have been positive ones as the players come to the end of their second week of training at Sixways.

The newly appointed head coach has been pleased with the response of his new troops on and off the training pitch as the 17 new signings get to grips with their new surroundings.

He said: "They guys have worked hard and have responded to the training very well. The early signs have been very encouraging especially as the players seem to be getting on.

"It is very early days, of course, and the first test of a squad is how they deal with set-backs."

Worcester brought in the new signings during a busy summer at Sixways and pre-season will prove to be a vital time for the club.

Brain, however, will not be able to see his full squad together until the end of the month at the earliest.

He will not meet star signing Winston Stanley until after July 30 following his extended season's work with Canada while Ben Clarke will only return once his involvement in the British Lions tour ends.

Fly-half Craig Chalmers will begin training on July 23 while Neil Lyman and Christian Evans arrive back at Sixways next week after their holidays.

"It's not ideal but it's just one of those things. We just have to make sure we increase the fitness of the squad members we have here at present," Brain added.

Worcester's first pre-season match is against Irish side Clontarf on Saturday, August 11.