Richard Hill hopes to keep Matt Mullan at Sixways © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Warriors re-sign Shervington

News: Arr signs on with Warriors

Players/Officials: Tom Arscott | Miles Benjamin | Marcel Garvey | Richard Hill | Matt Mullan

Tournaments/Tours: Aviva Premiership

Teams: England

Worcester Warriors boss Richard Hill is hopeful that star prop Matt Mullan will stay at Sixways but concedes that wing duo Miles Benjamin and Marcel Garvey's future looks almost certain to lie elsewhere.

The Warriors have a host of stars whose contracts are up at the end of the current campaign and Hill has previously said that he was already preparing for life after Benjamin and Garvey as the duo were yet to sign new deals at Sixways. But Hill, who admits Mullan's future is still uncertain, is more hopeful over the chances of keeping the 24-year-old.

Mullan was recently included in the England Saxons squad for 2012 and is one of the most promising props in the country at the moment. And Hill concedes that Mullan will consider other options other than the Warriors, but the former Bristol coach is hopeful over the chances of keeping him.

"There has been no progress at all with Matt so far, but I am a little bit more hopeful with him than perhaps the other two," Hill told Worcester News. "Matt has been good and has always kept a dialogue open - he will no doubt keep his options open and see what is available to him, which is fair enough.

"It's his career and he has to look at all the options, no doubt there'll be visits to one or two clubs, but you can't hold that against him. What I do know is that each game we win is helping towards him maybe staying at Worcester, so I'm a little more hopeful, but I wouldn't guarantee it."

"Hope is dwindling with Miles and Marcel staying, put it that way. They haven't signed yet, so we are now moving on. We don't know for certain and we hold out hope but, at the moment, I'm having to think about probably making other plans. I haven't done anything about it yet, but I am turning my attention to the fact I may have to."

But while Benjamin and Garvey look set to ply their trade elsewhere next season, Hill hopes to keep hold of Tom Arscott. Hill said: "I thought Tom Arscott had one of his best games for the club against Crociati Parma and he is fighting for a new contract and, if all goes well, I'd like to keep him here.

"We're in discussions about that. He has responded in the right way and he's going to play his heart out for a new contract over the next few weeks. Tom is very keen to stay and I've had a good chat with him. It is always a difficult time for players because of the uncertainty -- some go one way and sulk a little bit and don't play well. But Tom is completely the opposite and is fighting to prove he is good enough to be here."