FORMER Australia attack coach Jim McKay will be returning to Worcester Warriors
for the end-of-season Championship play-offs.

McKay has been acting as a coaching consultant at the club and was first visible at Warriors’ match against Bedford Blues in February when they hit back from 17-0 down to win 32-17 at Goldington Road.

Ryan explained: “Jim has now gone home — he was only here for five weeks in his first stint.

“He went home last week and we will have a chat with him about the dates when he can come back.

“He was always going home at this point but we are planning to have a conversion about bringing him back during the play-offs. That was always going to be the case — we have two windows of opportunity with him.”

McKay was part of Ewen McKenzie’s backroom setup for Australia, helping the Wallabies to the Rugby Championship final in 2014.

He helped steer the Australians to four wins from five in their 2013 international tour, where they beat Scotland, Italy, Ireland and Wales, before plotting the 3-0 thrashing of France in a Test series the following year.

McKay previously spent four years as senior assistant coach at Super Rugby side Queensland Reds, helping the club win the Super 15 title in 2011.

McKay, who began his coaching career at Stourbridge almost two decades ago, also had a spell as assistant academy manager at Leicester Tigers, head coach of Cornish Pirates and assisted at Redruth.

Ryan felt McKay’s observations during his first spell at Warriors had been beneficial to the coaches and playing staff.

“I thought it was great — we asked for an appraisal of where we were and I think it was a great exercise to have Jim as a third pair of eyes looking at us,” said Ryan.

“We wanted a mentor around Sam Vesty and a sounding board for me and Carl Hogg — and I think it worked perfectly and it was a really good exercise.

“The players enjoyed Jim being around the club and we look to bring him back to do the same again soon.”