'I know how Steve works': Worcester sign Russian prop Morozov

Experienced Russia international loosehead prop Valeriy Morozov will be reunited with Steve Diamond when he joins Worcester from Bath for the 2022/23 season. Morozov was signed by Diamond when he was director of rugby at Sale Sharks in 2019 and he has made the mobile, ball-handling forward his sixth new signing ahead of succeeding Alan Solomons as Warriors director of rugby.

Morozov, 27, has been capped 33 times by Russia between his debut against Zimbabwe in Hong Kong in 2017 and facing Romania in this year's Rugby Europe Championship. "I have known Valeriy from the time I had coaching Russia and he is an exceptional athlete," said Diamond, currently the Warriors' lead rugby consultant. "He is a very humble person with a fantastic work ethic and he will be a superb addition to our squad."

Morozov, whose wife is Ukrainian, played volleyball as a youngster but successfully converted to rugby with Zelenograd, his hometown club. He had three seasons with Enisei-STM, Russia’s leading club before he had his first taste of English rugby when Diamond signed him for Sale.

Morozov was a member of the Sale side that won the Premiership Rugby Cup two years ago and after a stint playing back in Russia for CSKA Moscow, he returned to England in December when Bath signed him for the rest of the current season to replace the injured Beno Obano.

"I enjoyed playing for Steve Diamond at Sale and I am looking forward to working with him again at Worcester Warriors," Morozov said. "I know how Steve works and what he expects from his players. I'm excited to be joining the club and hope that I can help Warriors become a top-six Premiership club and one who competes regularly in the Heineken Champions Cup."