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THE feelgood factor surrounding professional rugby in Worcester has been featured in this column on a number of occasions. We make no apologies in returning to the subject because Worcester Warriors are fast becoming the city's greatest modern-day success story.

On Wednesday we told how thousands of Warriors fans had queued to buy tickets to the European Challenge Cup final. Yesterday we reported how the club had signed a 10-year multi-million pound sponsorship deal with sportswear firm Kukri. Today we reveal fantastic images of the £8 million stadium redevelopment at Sixways.

The new-look east stand will take the stadium's capacity to 12,000. Future development of the north stand, for which the club already has planning permission, is part of the Kukri deal and will mean Sixways being able to hold 15,000 people.

Judging by the regular 10,000-plus crowds for Warriors games this season and the huge demand for tickets to the European final, we doubt the club will struggle to fill the increased capacity. The off-the-field developments - allied to the arrival on the field of world stars like Rico Gear and Chris Latham - place Worcester firmly at the forefront of rugby in the 21st century.

These truly are exciting times for Worcester rugby fans. Much of what they are enjoying is the result of the vision of Warriors' chairman Cecil Duckworth. He deserves the utmost praise for the huge amount of work that has been done to put Warriors in a position where they can compete with the best at home and abroad.

8:48am Friday 9th May 2008

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