HOW the rugby club has found itself in the financial crisis it now exists in is something that had Worcester director of rug by Steve Diamond perplexed on Friday morning.

Warriors have been given a deadline of midnight on Monday (September 26) to provide evidence they have the finances required to complete the 2022/23 season.

But the likelihood of that is slim, with staff still waiting to be paid their full salary from August and the September payroll fast approaching.

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Funds are required to pay insurance bills and players salaries are also due next week.

It is a situation as grave as it could be and if the deadline is not met, the rugby club in it's entirety will be suspended from all competition.

"I do not know how it has got to this position," he said.

"It's sad and it is diabolical that it has been allowed to walk itself to the graveyard and I never thought it would get to this position.

"The game tomorrow (vs Newcastle) is a welcomed relief. The result is unimportant, just getting 23 lads on the pitch to give their best shot is all I am interested in

"If people had the same mindset I have got, we wouldn't be in this position.

"There has been no financial control, no real graft in the business commercially.

"Every rugby club has had to take emergency steps through the Covid period with DCMS etc and the revenue allowing payment windows, but you have to stay on side with these people.

"Generally that comes from being a good communicator and what we have seen over the last month, that is very poor.

"It would be bizarre to let a business go into really unchartered waters like this.

"To have a team suspended because it cant pay the insurance to stop people slipping in the stand is bizarre and totally unprofessional."

Putting the off-field matters to a side for a moment, Warriors have a game to play tomorrow.

The 23-man squad selected will be asked to do their job and play 80 minutes of rugby, with little to no certainty they will ever do that in a Worcester shirt again.

"I am really proud of the lads going out tomorrow," added Diamond.

"There is no team talk needed. The mindset is that it will be our last game at Sixways ever tomorrow.

"It's all a bit like the death of a dog. You don't want to take your dog to the vet on it's last legs, but you have to. It's a bit like that

"Everything now is out of my control, all I can control is the group (playing team) and they told me this morning (Friday), at half ten, 'we are playing'.

"No ifs or buts. I gave the option not to, and they said ' we want to play'."

But what next? Worcester face suspension on Monday and if administration does happen, it is unclear as to what will happen to the club's Premiership status.

"If we get through it, it would be great," said Diamond.

"If we go into administration there will be a restructure. This club cannot stay as it was, because it's not worked.

"There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it's not bright."