DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Ryan says he knows the “25 or 26 players” who will be carrying Worcester Warriors’ hopes of promotion this season.

Warriors have already booked their place in the Greene King IPA Championship play-offs alongside promotion favourites Bristol after winning their last 15 matches in the competition.

London Scottish and Nottingham occupy the third and fourth positions, while Rotherham Titans remain in close pursuit with just six rounds of the regular season remaining.

Warriors were without a league match on Saturday — they hit back from 17-0 down at Bedford Blues the previous weekend to record a 32-17 win.

“We are operating on 25 to 26 people who we know are roughly in the Championship squad,” said Ryan.

“Some players who played really well against Rotherham didn’t play that well at Bedford. That’s life and sometimes you have to live with that.

“We are not going to jump around — we will make changes like we always do for our next game and then we’ll see things from there.”

Warriors’ first-half display at Bedford was littered by handling errors but Ryan was pleased with James Percival, who he said did a fantastic job.

Ryan insisted: “I don’t think it was a step back. We made two errors and that put us 17 points down.”

The Warriors chief was also happy with the performance of fly-half Ryan Mills, who had a mixed afternoon.

Mills had a torrid first-half when he gifted Bedford a try, but showed his power to touch down with seven minutes remaining.

Ryan continued: “He probably owed us because he had missed touch, jumped around and made a few poor decisions.

“He said he made it to the try-line because he couldn’t have faced the changing room if he hadn’t.”

Former Australian attack coach Jim McKay has now arrived at Worcester on a consultancy basis and was on the field with Warriors’ backroom staff before the Bedford fixture.

“Jim is here for four weeks,” confirmed Ryan. “It’s great to have him around and he’s a sounding board for everybody.

“He’s just reviewing what we do and is listening and talking. His role is about observing us and seeing how he can add to us.”