EXCLUSIVE: Worcester Warriors have Jonathan Thomas to fight for victory

“In a losing streak, there’s no doubt you are not brimming with confidence, not on top of your game,” said Thomas.

“We recognise the only way to get out of this situation is to show courage and character.

“If we go into our shell and accept it, we are never going to get out of it. We have a group who all want the same thing. We have the characters with the ability to turn it around.

“Nobody said it would happen overnight. I’ve played under a lot of good coaches at club and national level and the ones we have here are as good as any I’ve known. I’d love to be talking to you down the line with Worcester as a top-four Premiership club.”

Dean Ryan, the new director of rugby to whom Thomas refers, gives the impression he knew exactly the degree of difficulty that awaited him. Thomas less so, though as a participant in Wales’ Grand Slams of 2005 and 2008 he is certainly a marquee signing.

“We had a core group at the Ospreys who had pretty much played for the club for the entire 10 years of their existence,” he said. “We were successful as a team who came together in 2003 and won four league titles in a decade. We didn’t achieve what we wanted in Europe, but Europe is tough to crack.

“I felt that, at 30, I really needed a fresh start and the other motivating factor was the Premiership. I had played in the Celtic league for 10 years, against the same teams and at the same venues. This is a brutal league but you play big games against big teams with big crowds every week.

“And while it has been negative in discussing our performances, on the broader spectrum I am hugely enjoying this new experience. ”

There is no evident reason why this should be any more difficult for Worcester than it has been for Exeter, where Thomas’s team will be serious underdogs – again – today.

“It’s difficult for me to comment on the past, because I’ve only just turned up,” he said. “But what I will say is this club have a structure and facilities that are second to none and I can confirm that after being part of the Welsh international set-up for the best part of 10 years.

“It’s a great honour to be captain and we are working incredibly hard to turn this thing round.”

Article source: http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Ashley-Williams-quit-Swansea-City-new-Wales-Rugby/story-19990026-detail/story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=has-ashley-williams-quit-swansea-city-for-new-wales-rugby-union

EXCLUSIVE: Worcester Warriors have Jonathan Thomas to fight for victory