Where are they now? - Worcester Warriors' final match day squad before collapse in 2022

Friday, 04 April 2025 at 13:01

byTom Sansom

It was confirmed yesterday that Worcester Warriors will return to rugby for the 2025/26 season, with a place in the RFU Championship (Tier 2) confirmed for the Sixways Stadium side.

It is a monumental time for the Worcestershire club, who entered financial administration in October of 2022, following the financial damage of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Worcester are the first of four recently collapsed sides to officially confirm their comeback. It's a brilliant sign for the future, in the hopes that Wasps, London Irish and Jersey Reds can also follow suit with a fight back against the odds. The rumours continue that Wasps may have made a new nest in Kent, with Irish also reportedly gaining traction with new owners at the helm of the Exiles.

In this article, we will take a look back at the final Worcester Warriors match day squad, before the club collapsed out of the English rugby pyramid. Worcester's final fixture was a 39-5 Premiership win over Newcastle Falcons, on Saturday, September 24th 2022. It was an emotional farewell at their home of Sixways, that will soon be back open for business for the 2025/26 Championship season.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WORCESTER WARRIORS LAST MATCH DAY SQUAD

15. Jamie Shillcock

After Worcester's administration, Shillcock had a brief stint with Bath Rugby before moving to Japan's Mitsubishi DynaBoars. In January 2023, he signed with Leicester Tigers for the 2023/24 season, bringing versatility to their talented back-line. While he has yet to earn international honors, Shillcock's consistent performances keep him on the radar for potential future selection.

14. Alex Hearle

Post-Worcester, Hearle joined Saracens on a short-term deal during the 2022/23 season. He later secured an extended contract with Gloucester Rugby, where he continues to play as a winger. Hearle has five tries to his name in the 2024/25 season, where he's also been unleashed at outside centre.

13. Ollie Lawrence

Lawrence moved to Bath Rugby in October 2022. His impactful performances earned him the Premiership's Player of the Month award in December 2022, and he remains a key figure in Bath's midfield. Internationally, Lawrence has reestablished himself in the England squad under coach Steve Borthwick, consistently partnering with Henry Slade in the midfield. However, Lawrence sustained an Achilles injury in a Six Nations match against Italy, which has ended his hopes for the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour.

12. Francois Venter

Following Worcester's collapse, Venter returned to his native South Africa and rejoined the Sharks, bringing experience to the Durban club's back-line in domestic competitions. Internationally, Venter has represented the Springboks, earning caps between 2016 and 2017, yet has not returned to the Test match scene since.

11. Duhan van der Merwe

The Scotland winger signed for Edinburgh Rugby in October 2022. By December 2023, he extended his contract until June 2025, citing his happiness and sense of belonging at the club. Internationally, van der Merwe has been a standout performer for Scotland, becoming the nation's all-time top try-scorer with 28 tries as of July 2024, and the powerhouse wing now has 32 Test tries at just 29-years-old. Van der Merwe was also part of the British & Irish Lions squad in 2021, starting in all three Test matches against his native South Africa.

10. Billy Searle

Despite being on the books with Bath following repeated short-term loans, Searle did not follow the likes of Ollie Lawrence and Ted Hill down to the Rec. Searle headed over to France with a move to Biarritz, and also enjoyed a brief stint with Toulouse alongside a halfback pairing with Antoine Dupont. Searle returned back to the D2 with Agen for the 2024/25 season, where he has made 22 caps thus far.

9. Gareth Simpson

Simpson made two appearances for Saracens after the collapse of his former club, before he then joined Australian Super Rugby side Western Force, in which he added depth to their scrum-half options and gained experience in the Southern Hemisphere. The halfback ventured back up to the StoneX Stadium, where he has been a mainstay and reliable option for the nine jersey and to explode off the bench.

1. Murray McCallum

The Scottish prop returned to Scotland, signing with Edinburgh in November 2022, yet he only made two appearances for the capital city club. McCallum has earned three caps for Scotland, making his debut in 2018, and he continues to be a valuable asset for Newcastle Falcons, whom he signed with ahead of the 2023/24 Premiership season.

2. Curtis Langdon

Langdon headed across the Channel following the collapse of the Warriors, where he was promptly snapped up by Montpellier. After 13 appearances in the Top 14, Langdon returned to England to enhance his international career. Langdon signed for Northampton Saints and won the Premiership in 2024, where he started at hooker in the triumphant Final win over Bath. Langdon recently made an England A cap against Australia A, in the 2024 Autumn Series.

3. Jay Tyack

The tight-head prop remained in the Premiership after Worcester's downfall, as he jumped across to Bristol Bears for the 2022/23 season. A lengthy injury lay-off hindered his run with the Bears, before Tyack dropped down a division with a move to Championship side Cornish Pirates, where he has been since August of 2024.

4. Joe Batley

Batley returned to Bristol Bears on a short-term deal in October 2022. His impressive performances led to a three-year contract extension in December 2022, keeping him at the club until at least 2026. While he hasn't been capped internationally, Batley's resilience and form make him a notable player in the Premiership, and a potential bolter for England's Summer tour of Argentina and the United States.

5. Andrew Kitchener

Kitchener signed with Saracens in late 2022, providing depth to their second-row options and competing in the Premiership. However, the short-term move was the final of his career, as after picking up a Premiership winners medal, Kitchener hung up his boots for retirement, after no contract offers at the end of the 2022/23 season.

6. Fergus Lee-Warner

The versatile forward joined Bath Rugby post-Worcester before signing a two-year deal with the NSW Waratahs in October 2023, as he returned to Super Rugby and his native Australia. One last run with Bath saw him enjoy their journey to the 2023/24 Premiership Rugby Final, before heading back down under to the Waratahs, where he has remained ever since.

7. Cameron Neild

It's been a real club-trotting venture for Cameron Neild's post-Worcester career. The back row first moved to Glasgow Warriors, whom he'd previously been on loan with. A move to the Scottish rivals Edinburgh followed in 2023, before stints with Sale Sharks and a return to Glasgow would follow. Neild is currently signed with Newcastle Falcons where he's made three starts in five matches this season.

8. Tom Dodd

Dodd signed for Coventry in the Championship, having built a solid relationship with the club during loan stints. Dodd would depart the Midlands ahead of the 2023/24 season, when the back row signed for Edinburgh and headed to the URC. Dodd has elevated his stock North of the border, with a Scotland A cap achieved against Chile last Autumn.

REPLACEMENTS

16. Epalahame Faiva

Faiva returned to New Zealand, signing with the Hurricanes for the 2023 Super Rugby season as a hooker. The New Zealand born front row has since become an established Italian international, and made three Test caps at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. After the tournament, Faiva signed for Bath, and despite not featuring for the blue, black and whites so far this season, by all accounts remains on the books at the Rec.

17. Kai Owen

Owen has been in the Championship since the end of the Worcester Warriors era, through a run with two Tier 2 clubs. The prop first signed with Doncaster Knights immediately after the collapse of the club, but has been a mainstay at Nottingham since the start of the 2023/24 season.

18. Jack Owlett

On the bench as Worcester's replacement tight-head prop, all records show this as the final professional rugby match in the career of Jack Owlett. Following a career with Exeter Chiefs, Wasps and finally Worcester, it was by all accounts the end of the road at the top level for the front row.

19. Graham Kitchener

After a period without a club, Kitchener announced his retirement from professional rugby in early 2023. During his career, he was part of the England Saxons setup, and broke into multiple England senior training camps as a reliable and hard-working lock forward. Kitchener is best remembered for his eight year run with Leicester Tigers.

20. Matt Kvesic

The back row had established solid connections with Zebre Parma throughout previous loan spells, which led to a straightforward move to the Italian club after the collapse of Worcester. The twice capped England forward then signed for Coventry ahead of the 2023/24 Championship season, where he has been a solid addition to the Butts Park Arena.

21. Will Chudley

In a similar fettle to Matt Kvesic, Will Chudley was reunited with his former Worcester teammate at Coventry. However, Chudley's career did not include the Italian detour, with a direct move to Warwickshire after the collapse of the Warriors. Chudley hung up his boots at the end of the 2023/24 season, and currently works as a financial advisor.

22. Joe Morris

It was a difficult time for Joe Morris, as both of his career clubs have since collapsed. Morris started his career with Worcester, before yo-yoing back and forth with Jersey Reds as he struggled to break into the Warriors squad. The Reds have also since folded, with no immediate record of Morris continuing his career at the top level.

23. Noah Heward

Heward was promptly signed from the waters of free agency, with a move to Bristol Bears keeping him in the Premiership. However, after just one appearance, he was sent out on loan to Hartpury, where he yo-yoed back and forth between Gloucestershire and Bristol. The 2023/24 season saw Heward establish himself as an Ashton Gate pillar, and continues to elevate his career stock under Pat Lam.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: EX-WORCESTER WARRIORS PLAYERS

Fin Smith

The man who rivals Ollie Lawrence and Duhan van der Merwe as the breakout star who's gone on to big things post Worcester. Smith signed for Northampton Saints, won the Premiership title as the leading fly half, and has established himself as England's first choice 10 in the eyes of Steve Borthwick. It's only onwards and upwards for Smith, who is on the cusp of a Lions tour call-up.

Ted Hill

Worcester's former captain, Ted Hill promptly found a new home at Bath, where he has been a stalwart of the locker room at the Rec. Quickly endearing himself to the blue, black and white faithful, Hill has since returned to the England Test match scene. The versatile forward made two appearances during the 2025 Six Nations, where he earned the nickname from Maro Itoje as being England's resident Clark Kent, the glasses donning secret identity of Superman.

Rory Sutherland

The Scotland international has also gone on to great things, since his time at Sixways came to an end. First off, Sutherland made a move to Ulster and enjoyed a solid end to the 2022/23 season in Belfast amidst sporadic Scotland involvements. The prop then took a supporting role in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with three pool stage caps, before joining French D2 side Oyonnax. Sutherland finally returned home ahead of the current URC season, as he is tearing up trees with Glasgow Warriors.

Seb Atkinson

Big things are expected from the 22-year-old centre, who has really come into his own at Gloucester. The Kingsholm 'Shed' have enjoyed witnessing the talents that Atkinson brings in Cherry and White, with the midfielder leading Gloucester to the 2023/24 EPCR Challenge Cup Final, and Premiership Rugby Cup glory.

Owen Williams

Not to be mistaken with the former Cardiff centre of the same age, the 33-year-old fly half currently resides with the Ospreys. It was a quick fix for Williams, who had previously been a household name in Swansea, and the halfback has remained in South Wales since the downfall of Worcester. A former Leicester and Gloucester man with 10 Wales caps to his name, Williams is enjoying the latter run of his career after the Warriors collapsed.