BACK-ROW Matt Cox is urging Worcester Warriors supporters to re - main patient with the side.

The 26-year-old flanker is in his second stint at Sixways and knows the home fans are expecting a season of success.

Warriors and Andy Robinson’s Bristol are widely tipped to be push - ing for the Greene King IPA Champi - onship promotion spot at the end of the season.

But Cox warned: “People are ex - pecting a lot more from us and some - times that just isn’t possible.

“It’s a long season ahead and the league is a very physical competition with lots of challenges.

“The challenge in the Champion - ship is a bit different to challenges of the the Premiership.

“We have to learn how to beat teams and learn how to win our games a lit - tle bit better.

“We have to take on each team week by week and stick to what we believe in.

“We have to make sure that we don’t take any team lightly because we don’t want to come unstuck.”

Redditch-born Cox is a product of Warriors’ Sixways academy system and made a first-team try-scoring debut against London Wasps back in April 2008.

The former Gloucester player said: “Worcester is a club I have always cared a lot about and I have never had anything bad to say about the club.

“As long as we are picking up victo - ries and we’re in the top-four at the end of the season, then that must be our goal.

“Worcester’s stated goal is to be a successful Premiership side and I share that goal, too.

“I have worked with Carl Hogg be - fore and, when he and Dean Ryan turned up to speak to me about com - ing back to Worcester, it was hard to say no.

“I worked closely with Carl at Gloucester and, with those two at the helm, I believe the club will be suc - cessful in the future.

“If they had told me they were go - ing to turn around London Welsh or Newcastle, the drive for me to be part of it would not have been the same.

“I would have re-signed at Glouces - ter.

“But this challenge is a bit more im - portant for me because I have grown up at the club and come through the ranks.”

Cox says he is determined to keep his place in the Warriors starting line-up.

“I have never been someone who can watch every game,” he admitted.

“I am not someone who watches rugby — I just enjoy playing it.

“When I am on the bench I struggle to sit and watch because I want to be out on the field.”