FORMER Worcester Warriors coach Simon McGarry-Cross will return to Sixways tomorrow night aiming to help Royal Grammar School Worcester retain the Modus Challenge Cup (7pm).

The ex-Edinburgh flanker spent five years on Warriors’ coaching staff before departing at the end of last season.

After being appointed head of rugby at RGS in September McGarry-Cross also stepped down as head coach of Birmingham Moseley to focus on his work at the school.

RGS director of sport Gareth Roots reckons the 37-year-old’s big-match experience will rub off on his players as they tackle rivals King’s School Worcester in front of more than 3,000 spectators.

“Simon is a good man to have in terms of managing the boys’ expectations,” Roots said.

“He has played and coached at the top level so he is very familiar with the surroundings and knows what to do to prepare for games like this.”

McGarry-Cross also travelled to South Africa this summer with the school ahead of the new academic year.

“It was a really good experience and gave the boys three weeks of tough rugby out there which prepared them well for the season,” Roots continued.

“Simon had not started at the school but wanted to go along to get to know the boys.

“It meant that he had the time to implement a few things and we were able to hit the ground running come September.”

RGS clinched the Modus Challenge Cup for the first time since 2013 with a 13-10 triumph thanks to Thomas Matthews’ second-half try and eight points from the boot of Joe Thomson.

Tom Berry will captain this year’s team with Matthews and Ben Llewellyn also among the players that will feature again after tasting victory 12 months ago.

“It would obviously be nice to keep the cup in the green side of Worcester,” Roots added.

“But as long as it is a good evening and both teams enjoy it, the boys will gain from that experience which is the main thing.”

King’s School saw their winning streak in the annual fixture come to an end but new captain Max Richardson, fly-half Ethan Summerhill, full-back Charles Clark and props Will Revill and Josh Moorhouse are the only surviving members of last year’s defeated team.

Director of rugby Jonny Mason said: “We have got experience in key positions so hopefully they will lead from the front.

“But there will be a different feel to this side as it will the first outing in this fixture for the vast majority of the 23 involved.

“After a tough start to the year we have had some good results of late so we are in a positive position.

“We are focusing on what we want to do on the night so hopefully the boys can put that in place.

“It is a one-off game and has not always gone to form.”

Tickets for this year’s encounter cost £7.50 for adults and £5 for under 19s while under threes can get in free of charge.