NO friendlies are being lined up for Worcester Warriors this summer as players face a four-month wait for competitive action.

Warriors played three warm-up matches, the first of those taking place on August 10, in preparation for the 2018-19 campaign that began on September 1.

But next season the Gallagher Premiership will not get under way until October 19 when the World Cup reaches the quarter-final stage.

Instead of building up to the first league game clubs will kick off the season with four rounds of the Premiership Cup, starting on September 21.

Warriors reached the semi-finals of the domestic competition last term.

But director of rugby Alan Solomons admitted he intended to use the opening block of cup fixtures as “pre-season games”.

Should Solomons stick to this plan, Warriors’ fans will find out which side their team will play first when the cup draw is held on July 10.

“We have got those four Premiership Cup matches so we are going to treat those as our pre-season games,” Solomons said.

“I guess a lot of clubs will do that.”

After Warriors’ victory over Saracens at Sixways on May 18, the players were given a six-week break to recuperate.

They are due to return to training on July 1 and are expected to jet off to Spain for a week-long camp later that month.

But Solomons said he would make sure his men had a “sensible” fitness regime and would allow them breaks during the long pre-season to keep them fresh ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

“There is a mandatory five-week break but we are going to give them six weeks off,” Solomons said.

“During that period over the first two weeks they have got to relax as they have had a long, hard season both physically and mentally.

“They need to recharge their batteries and then they will be given a sensible programme when they arrive back.

“They are in good condition as (head of performance) Johan Pretorius has done a fantastic job.

“Our conditioning this season was very good and we need to maintain that. That’s an absolute given.

“You can’t play top-level rugby unless you are in great condition so that will be done.

“Like we did last season we will make sure they have decent breaks throughout the season and that includes pre-season.

“It is a long off-season so we are coming in later and then we will look at breaks.

“We may do a chunk of the first four weeks and then have a break and let the guys go off.

“We have got to look at that kind of thing as it is a long period.

“We have got to manage them carefully.”