Ethan Waller: Worcester Warriors sign Northampton Saints prop for 2017-18

Ethan Waller leaves behind brother Alex, who also props for Northampton Saints

Worcester Warriors have signed Northampton Saints loose-head prop Ethan Waller for the 2017-18 season.

The 24-year-old Saints academy product has made 85 appearances since making his debut in November 2012.

"We are delighted to welcome a player who has won the Premiership title and experienced Champions Cup rugby," said Warriors head coach Carl Hogg.

"Ethan has been part of a successful Northampton side in recent seasons and has already gained huge experience."

Waller will effectively replace Val Rapava Ruskin, who is to join Gloucester at the end of the season.

Warriors are still not sure what level they will be playing at next season. They are 11th in the Premiership, one point above bottom club Bristol.

Warriors make key change in fitness training

Meanwhile, Worcester have made a key change in their backroom personnel by recruiting former Royal Marine Paddy Anson from Gloucester as head of strength and conditioning.

The arrival of Anson, who had also worked for Exeter as well as Great Britain's hockey teams, will have no impact on the role of high performance director Nick Johnston.

But existing head of strength and conditioning Chris Hart, who has been with Warriors since joining from Northampton in the summer of 2014, is now on gardening leave until his contract expires in the summer.

"One of the things that we will address over the next month is the way we train," Hogg told BBC Hereford & Worcester prior to Saturday's narrow European Challenge Cup defeat by Brive.

"We need to train at higher intensities. When it gets fast, we make individual errors or poor decisions and we need to replicate that high intensity in training."