Aviva Premiership
Richard Hill leaves Worcester Warriors
ESPN Staff
April 16, 2013
Worcester head coach Richard Hill poses with the RFU Championship silverware, Worcester Warriors v Cornish Pirates, RFU Championship Final - Second leg, Sixways, Worcester, England, May 18, 2011
Richard Hill led Worcester to promotion in 2011 © Getty Images
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Worcester Warriors have confirmed that coach Richard Hill has left the Aviva Premiership strugglers with former Gloucester boss Dean Ryan tipped to replace him at Sixways.

Hill, who leaves with immediate effect after three seasons in charge, parts company with the Warriors in the wake of their 14th defeat of the season at the hands of leaders Saracens on Sunday. The former England international steered them to promotion to the Premiership twice during his reign but has paid for his failure to maintain that momentum in the top flight.

Bill Bolsover, chairman of Worcester's rugby committee, said: "Richard was brought into Worcester Warriors to get us promoted back to the Premiership, which he successfully achieved. We then wanted to consolidate our position amongst the elite before breaking out of the bottom four.

"Despite all his hard work, effort, attention to detail and honesty, we have not continued the forward momentum. On behalf of everyone at Worcester Warriors, I would like to put on record our thanks and appreciation to Richard and we wish him well for the future."

Hill's coaching team, including forwards coach Nigel Redman and fellow former England international Phil Vickery, and Worcester's rugby operations director Corin Palmer will take charge of the team for the final two Premiership matches of the season.

Ryan, who recently served as Scotland's forwards coach and currently works as an analyst for Sky Sports and as a consultant for Championship leaders Bristol, is the favourite to fill the void long-term with confirmation of his appointment expected this week although it is understood he will take a back seat until the summer.

It was thought Ryan did not want to return to a full-time rugby role having turned his back on the Premiership when he left Gloucester in 2009 and drawn a line under his work with the Scotland after the Six Nations. If the appointment is confirmed, it will come as a blow to the Scottish Rugby Union after caretaker head coach Scott Johnson expressed a desire for Ryan to continue in the role having had "a deep impact on the squad".

Should Ryan return to the Premiership stage, he will take charge of a Warriors squad that has already missed out on Heineken Cup qualification and is also set to be stripped of rising stars such as flanker Matt Kvesic and prop Matt Mullan who are leaving the club at the end of the season.

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