HIGHLY-rated backs coach Sam Vesty is expected to leave Worcester Warriors as director of rugby Alan Solomons looks to add a South African flavour to his support team next season.

The Worcester News also understands breakdown coach Simon Cross will follow Vesty and head coach Carl Hogg through the exit door at the end of this term.

But Warriors are believed to be keeping forwards coach Mefin Davies and academy backs development coach Gordon Ross whose contracts were due to expire in the summer.

The Aviva Premiership outfit are rumoured to have made an official offer to Cheetahs coach Rory Duncan to succeed Hogg ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.

Durban-born Duncan previously played under Solomons when he was boss at Eastern Province Kings.

Negotiations have reportedly reached an advanced stage and Solomons said he hoped to be in a position to “move it forward relatively soon”.

After finishing his playing career in 2011, the former lock became head coach at Grey High School, Port Elizabeth, before joining Free State Cheetahs in 2013.

“I think it would be premature to make any comment on that at this particular point,” Solomons said.

“But we will be in a position to move it forward relatively soon.”

Vesty has made a big impact since being appointed Warriors' transition coach in 2013.

He became backs coach two years later and impressed England boss Eddie Jones who made him skills coach for their tour of Argentina last summer.

The ex-Leicester Tigers and Bath ace, 36, played an instrumental role in bringing Wales’ rising star Josh Adams to Worcester and has developed a number of the club’s young backs.

Cross arrived at Warriors to look after the defence in 2013 but now works part-time alongside being head coach at National One outfit Birmingham Moseley.

When asked about the duo’s futures, Solomons said: “I am not able to comment on anything to do with the coaching.

“As far as I am concerned Carl has made the decision to move.

“We have to deal with that situation and need to focus on the Premiership.

“This is a massive month for us and the focus needs to be on the rugby.”

Hogg ends his five-year stint at Warriors in the summer and Solomons said the ex-Gloucester coach felt the “time was right” to move on to pastures new.

“Carl is a terrific bloke,” Solomons added.

“If you think about professional rugby, coaching staff are at a club between two and five years and then they tend to move on.

“You get the odd guy like Rob Baxter at Exeter because it is his home club and he has been there for a long time which is great.

“Saracens have had stability with Mark McCall but even some of their coaching staff have moved on within that group.

“Carl is his own man and makes his own decisions.”