WORCESTER Warriors may need to “better” last season’s points tally to “even guarantee survival” in the Gallagher Premiership.

That is the view of club legend Jonny Arr who reckons the competition will only get tougher with big spending London Irish coming up.

It was revealed yesterday that Warriors will kick-off the 2019-20 Premiership campaign with a home clash against Leicester Tigers on Saturday, October 19.

A run of three wins in their final four matches saw Worcester comfortably beat the drop last term, finishing 15 points clear of relegated Newcastle Falcons.

They picked up a club-record equalling seven league wins and ended on 46 points – their highest total since 2006.

Arr who was released by the club this summer said his boyhood side demonstrated their “never-say-die attitude” with a series of comeback victories.

However, the 30-year-old scrum-half who now plays for National One outfit Birmingham Moseley insisted Warriors must improve to avoid being sucked into another basement battle.

“You have only got to look at some of the players in the Warriors squad and see there is some unbelievable talent there,” Arr said.

“I think they will take a lot from last season in terms of the points they accumulated and that never-say-die attitude that rewarded them with some valuable points.

“Just look at some of the sides that they beat. On their day they can beat anyone but they will not be able to think that ‘all the hard work has been done’ and ‘it is just going to happen for them next season’.

“Clearly last season you could see how tight the league WAS. The difference between finishing 11th and fourth was tiny.

“They certainly can’t rest on last season’s efforts.”

It is not known whether the bottom side will go down next season with rugby chiefs set to meet on September 13 to decide on proposals for a 13-team Premiership.

The plan is for no relegation in the 2019-20 campaign, with Newcastle Falcons likely to come back up, followed by a two-legged play-off between the bottom Premiership club and the top Championship team in future seasons.

However, these proposals have not stopped Irish from making several big-name signings following their promotion.

The Exiles have signed All Blacks wing Waisake Naholo, Ireland fly-half Paddy Jackson, British and Irish Lions flanker Sean O’Brien, Scotland prop Allan Dell and Australia internationals Curtis Rona, Nick Phipps and Sekope Kepu.

“Warriors have got to improve because with Irish coming up and signing they way they have it is not going to be easier next year,” Arr added.

“They are going to have to go and probably beat even last season’s points tally to even guarantee survival which is crazy but that’s the realisation of it.”

After meeting Leicester Warriors will visit Northampton Saints on Saturday, October 26 and host Premiership runners up Exeter Chiefs on Sunday, November 3.

The opening few weeks will be key for Worcester with many teams set to be depleted due to this autumn’s Rugby World Cup.

The festive fixtures see Worcester take on Gloucester at Kingsholm and entertain newly-promoted London Irish at Sixways either side of Christmas with the dates yet to be confirmed.

Alan Solomons’ side face a tricky last four matches of the regular season with trips to Bath and Irish followed by a home tussle against reigning champions Saracens and a final-day visit to Sale Sharks on Saturday, June 6.

The draws for the Premiership Cup and Premiership Sevens will take place on July 17 with the European dates announced in August.