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Uche Oduoza: Leaving Sixways after rejecting two-year deal.

WORCESTER Warriors are finalising contractual details with an international fly-half and they hope to announce the signing after the European Challenge Cup final.

Sixways director of rugby Mike Ruddock says he is not expecting to have Shane Drahm in his squad for next season, despite the Aussie stand-off trying to escape from his Kubota Spears contract.

Ruddock feels it will be near impossible for Drahm to get out of his contract in Japan and insists it is just a matter of dotting the i's and crossing the t's' with his preferred option for a new number 10.

The Welshman said: "We will have the new fly-half sorted out pretty soon, but there won't be an announcement until after the European Challenge Cup final.

"We are pretty much set on the one we want and we are in negotiations with him. Stormers' fly-half Peter Grant is someone we have been linked with but he's not our target.

"Let's not forget Loki Crichton and Joey Carlisle either, who are both fantastic in their own right.

"Shane made it clear after our last game that he was wondering if he'd done the right thing by going to Japan. I've said all along, though, that it would be difficult for him to get out of his contract.

"I'm pretty positive he won't be staying, although he ultimately would like to stay. We are planning for life without Shane - it would have been great to keep him, but he has signed a contract elsewhere."

One player who has definitely left Sixways is Uche Oduoza after the England Sevens star let Ruddock know on Thursday he wouldn't be accepting the two-year deal on offer.

Ruddock added: "Uche informed me that he is moving on. We offered him a very significant deal for a 21-year-old, but he has had offers to go to Japan and also wants to finish off his medical studies.

"He may be going into part time rugby so he can work towards becoming a doctor - we wish him all the very best in whatever he does."

Meanwhile, Ruddock doesn't envisage too many more additions to his squad. He explained: "Ideally the first-team squad will be 36 players next season, so I'm not expecting many more coming in.

"We've had a bigger squad than we needed this season, so there have been a few good players who have not been able to get any rugby.

"If we are struggling with injuries next year, I am confident the guys in the academy can come in and do a job."

Thinus Delport was voted as Worcester Warriors' player-of-the-year at last night's end-of-season awards ceremony.

The young player-of-the-year was won jointly by Miles Benjamin and Matt Mullan, while Tevita Taumoepeau was players' player-of-the-year.

6:45pm Friday 16th May 2008

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