Grove has no concern over Hogg credentials
FORMER Worcester Warriors centre Alex Grove is confident his old club can survive the departure of Dean Ryan.
The 28-year-old has faith in new supremo Carl Hogg, who is now the front man at Sixways following Ryan’s surprise departure.
While Grove won’t be a part of the new set up after his decade at the club ended, he knows enough about those who remain to dismiss the fears it will be hard hit.
Ryan led Warriors’ transformation, brought them out of the Championship and last season helped them stabilise in tenth position.
“Dean moving on is a big loss to the club but it is something they will have to get over – and I think they will,” Grove told The Rugby Paper. “There have been big improvements over the last few years, Carl is a good coach who knows his stuff.
“He has the respect from the players and the support staff haven’t changed that much. Sam Vesty, Simon Cross and Nick Johnston were all brought in by Dean and they are all going to still be there.
“And there are a lot of senior players who know the way things should be done too – so there is certainly no need to panic.”
Grove’s own future lies outside the Premiership; indeed he has ended his professional career and signed for National One new boys Moseley.
While he admits the transition to part-time rugby has come sooner than he had originally intended, it has not come as a surprise.
“I hadn’t really been playing that much for the last 18 months and it was obvious to me that my contract would not be renewed this summer. “That gave me plenty of time to prepare myself psychologically. As a rugby player, at the back of your mind you are always thinking what you might do when you finish playing. “I’m going to start doing some property developing around the Midlands, residential initially and then maybe more commercial. “It’s going to be 18 months of learning but I’ve got plenty of brains to pick around me. I feel stopping now gives me the chance to get ahead of the game and I’m actually quite enthusiastic about it.” But Grove, who also earned three caps for Scotland, isn’t ready to stop playing altogether. With his experience of more than 150 appearances for Worcester he could be one of Moseley’s most important signings of the summer, a move that is evocative of Daren O’Leary’s switch up the M5 to Billesley Common more than ten years ago.
O’Leary, left, was brought in by Ian Smith to add composure to a young backline – and after converting to outside-centre was an influential figure in the club’s promotion to the second tier. Smith’s successor Kevin Maggs, will hope Grove can emulate his exWorcester team-mate.
Grove added: “There are so many variables about next season it’s impossible to predict anything. Let’s see where we are at Christmas – then let’s see if we are in a better position by the end of the season. That might mean we’re successful.”
Indeed the 2016-17 campaign will be a new adventure for Mose, just as it will be for their new midfielder.