WORCESTER Warriors supporter Lindsay Clayton is keeping her fingers crossed fans’ favourite Cooper Vuna will be returning to Sixways next season.

Director of rugby Dean Ryan has maintained the Australian international will be involved in Worcester’s return to the Aviva Premiership.

But Vuna, who is currently in Japan and has played in Super Rugby, said he was only at the club “for a short time” when he arrived at Worcester in March.

He scored eight tries in nine games for Worcester and was a crucial part of their Championship play-off final success.

Vuna was also in Worcester’s side who lifted the British and Irish Cup after beating Doncaster Knights in April.

“We would love Cooper to come back,” said Clayton, secretary of Warriors Rugby Supporters Club.

“We’ve taken to Cooper and he’s taken to the fans. The club clearly want Cooper back too but it’s probably an issue of what Cooper wants to do and where he sees himself.

“Hopefully, Cooper will come back to form a back-line with Bryce Heem.

“Tom Biggs and Sam Smith are a contrast to Cooper and Bryce but are very good wingers too.”

Clayton says the departure of Argentina skipper Agustin Creevy will leave a big void in the squad and added: “We need someone to replace Agustin with the similar sort of level of experience.

“Val Rapava Ruskin and Nick Schonert are still young props and, as we saw in the matches against Bristol, it made a huge difference with Gus in the middle of them. We are going to miss Agustin’s dark arts in the scrum.

“He’s a modern hooker – fit, powerful, enormously strong and outstanding at the breakdown. Two seasons ago when Dean came in, he said he wouldn’t bring players to Worcester to simply fill pension pots and he would only bring in people who can add to the mix.

“Jonathan Thomas is a positive example of that because he’s bought into what Worcester is all about, loves his rugby and is helping the younger players.

“We have a lot of young players who have shown they are well above what is required in the Championship.”