Worcester Warriors sign Ben Gulliver to strengthen squad in first premiership season - Rugby
Worcester Warriors signed Cornish Pirates lock Ben Gulliver on a two-year deal to upgrade their squad ahead of their first season after winning their premiership promotion. Warriors officials confirmed the signing of the contract with the Pirates’s lock
in a statement released on the Club’s official website on Friday, May 27.
Warrior will return to 2011/12 edition of Aviva Premiership after defeating the Cornish Pirates 46 – 32 on aggregate. The win gave them the Rugby Football Union (RFU) championship Stage 2 at Sixways Stadium on Wednesday, May
18.
Leeds Carnegie relegations at the end of 2010/11 season makes way for Warriors to move up to the premiership. Warriors at the end of the 2009/10 season were relegated from premiership after Leeds defeated them in the season’s
last match.
Coventry born Gullivers, started playing rugby in his hometown before moving out to Saracens and later to Plymouth Albion. He joined the Cornish Pirates in 2008 and so far has made 56 appearances for them and also had the honours of becoming the vice-captain
of the team.
Gulliver has made a few premiership appearances for Leicester Tigers earlier in the season. Pirates release him on three-month loan deal after Tigers second row pair sustained injuries.
Worcester Warriors head coach, Richard Hill, has expressed his satisfaction on signing of the former Plymouth Albion lock. Hill has been following the Pirates lock for last few years, however, he was deeply impressed by Ben’s game against the Warriors during
the RFU Championship.
Hill said, “"He impressed me at Coventry and when (Plymouth coach) Graham Dawe signs a forward you know they are a good one because he has a very good eye for a talent.”
Warriors lost a single game in the championship and that came against the Pirates during the round matches. Ben was also standout performer for the Pirates in the two final games. Hill said, “Ben also impressed when playing for Pirates against Warriors.
He is a very hard, abrasive, combative and aggressive forward that caused us problems.”
Ben is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 110 kg with a strong muscular build but at the same time very athletic. Hill has expressed his confidence in the new signing. He believes he will make his name in the premiership season with strong performance and
he has the skills to do that.
Ben Gulliver is the 11th signing for the Worcester Warriors so far. In addition to Ben, Danny Gray, Shaun Perry, Ollie Hayes, Ceri Jones, James Percival, Chris Jones, Errie Claassens, Josh Drauniniu and former Plymouth Albion’s pair of Sione
Tu'ipulotu and George Porter has signed deal with the Warriors.
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