Matt Kvesic should have been playing for Worcester today but instead will train alone and hope his phone rings.
Rather than pit his skills against Harlequins and stars such as Marcus Smith and Joe Marler, the former England flanker has a blank weekend.
On Wednesday Kvesic lost his job as a professional rugby player when part of the club was wound up and staff had their contracts terminated.
The next day Warriors, reigning Premiership Cup holders, were suspended for the rest of the season and told they will be relegated to the Championship.
“We finally got killed off on Wednesday but for months it’s been like a slow bleed,” said Kvesic.
“We knew the day was coming and what the outcome would be but it didn’t make it any easier - the reality that you are jobless, you’ve no income and there are bills still to pay.”
A number of his team mates have moved to other clubs, with Ollie Lawrence going straight into the Bath team today against Gloucester. But Kvesic’s own future is uncertain.
“I’ve got to try and stay positive, prep as best I can and if an opportunity comes up, be it tomorrow or whenever, make sure I’m ready to go,” said the 30-year old.
“I’ll keep myself in the best shape possible, stay off the chicken and chips. I haven’t given up hope, but for the moment I need to find a way to pay the bills.”
Across the West Midlands tomorrow Wasps take on Northampton having this week filed a second notice of intention to appoint administrators.
The Coventry-based club is up to its neck in debt and faces a winding up order from HM Revenue and Customs for £2million in unpaid tax.
Wasps say they remain ‘hopeful’ of survival, which will not reassure anyone who has followed Worcester’s descent into oblivion given Warriors’ cowboy owners were also big on hope.
Lee Blackett, boss of Wasps, claims to be satisfied that his club is handling its financial predicament in a far more transparent manner than over at Sixways where false promises were king.
“I’m still gobsmacked how we’re in this position,” said Kvesic, who was playing for England just three years ago and is married with a three-year old son, Albie.
“This has been three or four months in the making not three or four weeks and it’s been tough. The only time I’ve been able to escape it is doing bedtime with the little man. That’s been my mental rest.
“I don’t know whether I’m stupid, naive or just an optimist but I do genuinely see a future for Worcester. What that looks like I don’t know but I’d love to be a part of the rebuild.”
