REPORTS in the last 24 hours suggest Steve Diamond is still hopeful that he and business partner Adam Hewitt can save Worcester Warriors.

The Atlas consortium - headed by Jim O'Toole and James Sandford - exchanged contracts with administrators Begbies Traynor to buy the rugby club at the start of February.

There is said, although unconfirmed, to be a 90-day completion period in which the deal must be signed off by and that deadline arrives in two weeks (May 2). The Worcester News is awaiting a response from Begbies and Atlas.

And should there be any issues, former director of rugby Steve Diamond has confirmed he is ready and waiting to step in with business partner Adam Hewitt according to City A.M.

"Sources close to the situation told City A.M. that Diamond and previous Worcester Warriors sponsor Adam Hewitt maintain their interest in the club, which went into administration early this season, but that they would need a month to mobilise their plan to begin next season in the Championship." 

Atlas have always maintained that buying a club takes time and that "these things do not happen overnight". Jim O'Toole last week said that the completion of their deal to purchase Warriors and its assets would happen "in the coming weeks". 

Atlas' plans, as revealed at the supporter Q&A event in February, are to bring local first-team outfit Stourbridge to Sixways under the Worcester Warriors name. Their hope is to start in the Midlands 1 league (level 5) but the RFU said last week that would not be able to happen, and they would have to start at level 10. 

Atlas also said that Wasps would be playing from Sixways from next season for at least the next three years as part of a deal between the two clubs but recent reports suggest the ex-Premiership club may be playing their games from their own training ground next season.

The financial collapse of Warriors is now approaching a ninth month and we still seem no closer to rugby returning as the 2022/23 season comes to a close and now, any hope of Warriors playing rugby next season looks to be dissolving by the day.