DIRECTOR of rugby Alan Solomons believes Worcester Warriors’ performance department will “operate more efficiently and effectively” after being restructured this summer.

Johan Pretorius, who previously worked with Solomons at Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth and Edinburgh, has arrived at Sixways from Super Rugby side Sharks to head up the operation.

The South African succeeds Warriors’ ex-head of strength and conditioning Eamonn Hyland who secured a post at Northampton Saints ahead of this season.

But Pretorius will combine the role of overseeing the strength and conditioning set-up by being head of performance at Warriors.

“The performance department was restructured,” Solomons said.

“We doubled up the role of head of performance with head of strength and conditioning and we also restructured the medical side.

“We believe that the department is more streamlined and will operate more efficiently and effectively.”

Warriors’ performance department has undergone many changes over the past 16 months with Nick Johnstone and Chris Hart leaving their roles as high performance director and head of strength and conditioning respectively in 2017.

Former Royal Marine Paddy Anson was then appointed head of athletic performance ahead of the 2017-18 campaign before departing in October to join the English Institute of Sport.

Pretorious has now taken over the reins from Hyland and Solomons said the fitness coach had already “added a lot of value” to Warriors.

“Johan has got deep experience in a lot of disciplines,” Solomons said.

“He worked in the Sports Science Institute of South Africa in Cape Town and came highly recommended from them.

“He had been involved in a number of sports like cricket, athletics and our national under 20 rugby team.

“He also came and worked with me at Kings in 2013 where he did a great job and I worked with him for a year at Edinburgh.

“He has worked for the past three years at Sharks where he has been running their performance department.

“He has had experience of northern hemisphere rugby and had five years in Super Rugby.”

Pretorius has been putting Warriors’ players through their paces as they prepare for the new Premiership season which kicks off on September 1.

“I think Johan has added a lot of value,” Solomons added.

“We have had a good pre-season and had a good camp in Spain. The boys have worked really hard.”