WORCESTER Warriors Rugby Club are to open open a regional academy centre in Hereford.

Youngsters between 13 and 18 will receive up to seven hours of contact time every week at Hereford Cathedral School from the club's academy coaches. The centre is set to open in the autumn, with further facilities due to be rolled out across the West Midlands.

"I believe the introduction of these regional academy centres will be transformational for the club as they will allow us to take our brand into new areas to unearth the next generation of Warriors first-team players and supporters," said Anthony Glossop, interim chief executive at Worcester Warriors.

"We are ambitious to project the club into the heart of the community and engage with people to grow our fanbase and commercial opportunities."

Warriors' director of rugby Dean Ryan added that the future success of the club will be determined by ensuring that they develop their own players.

"We have placed a huge focus on building relationships and finding the right locations to launch these centres to allow us to work with the best young players across the region," said Ryan.

"We will work with players to aid their all-round personal development to ensure they maximise their potential."