LEAVING a legacy is the driving force behind Worcester Warriors this season says head coach Jonathan Thomas.

Warriors kick-off their 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership season this weekend at home to London Irish at Sixways, just like they did at the start of the previous campaign.

They won that game, 11-10, but would not record another win in the entirety of the 2021/22 season, losing every game.

But after a mass clear out of players and 11 new signings over the summer, a new era beckons and Thomas has his sights set on doing something no Worcester side has ever done.

"In terms of what we are committed to in the short term, it's leaving a legacy," he said.

"This club has never finished above eighth in its history so in the short term, it would be fantastic to achieve something the club has never achieved - which would be seventh.

"But I am not going to put any limitations on it, we could finish higher, but first of all, its' about being hard to beat - something that wasn't always the case last season."

The goal at Warriors has always been to become a top six club (reaching the top-flight of European rugby) and that remains the long term target.

"Even way before my time, the club have always wanted to be a top 6 club, that has always been the dream," added Thomas.

"We want to inspire those current supporters but also ones that haven't been to Sixways before.

"It's about getting the Leinster or Clermont at home in the Champions Cup, those huge European fixtures and you can only do that if you finish top six - and you can only finish there if you have a really successful, consistent season.

"That's the long term plan and that's still our north star."

But the Welshman admits the club must remain realistic, especially given they finished bottom of the Premiership last season, with just that solitary win against Irish in November 2020.

"We need to be realistic, we are a team that finished bottom of the competition last season with one win and for us to come in with one bold statement is unrealistic of where we are at," he admitted.

"We are not outcome focussed, we are process driven and what we need to do in the here and now is to become difficult to beat, earning the respect of the league.

"Teams need to know they've been in a tough game when they play us and that's consistently. Not every other week, that's every single game, which was not always the case last year.

"That is our focus in the short term."