THE England credentials of stand-in skipper Ryan Mills have been endorsed by Warriors’ South African bosses past and present.

Director of rugby Alan Solomons hailed the influence of Worcester’s number 12, who was handed the armband in the absence of Gerrit-Jan van Velze, following his influential performance in Friday’s 20-13 home triumph over Harlequins.

Mills, invited to two England training camps in the past, had a 90 per cent success rate with his 20 tackles, taking his Gallagher Premiership tally to 111 while topping the team’s turnover count with 10 – three of which arrived against Quins.

His impressive display in front of the BT Sport cameras not only had the current Sixways chief waxing lyrical but also his predecessor Gary Gold.

The USA head coach described Mills as an “absolute genius” on Twitter when responding to growing calls for international recognition.

“Millsy did very well, his heart is with this club and he is a terrific player with a good rugby brain,” said Solomons.

“He is a superb footballer and this club means a lot to him. He did a grand job of skippering the side.

“I have said before, I believe Millsy is an international-class inside centre.

“He has all the attributes and that’s why he can comfortably go to fly-half as he has done in the past for the Warriors.”

Mills arrived at Worcester in the summer of 2014 following four years with Gloucester and has cemented the number-12 shirt this season, playing every minute in the Premiership to date.

The Hartpury College graduate started out at 10 and 12 before gradually rising to prominence in his second season and featured for England under-18s and under-20s on the back of his progression from the youth ranks with Exeter Chiefs.

Mills was part of the Under-20 Junior World Championship and Six Nations squads in 2011 and 2012, helping his country to Grand Slam success in the latter.