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The day started early at 06:30, get down the club for
07:45 sort out the projectors and then enjoy the Cup Final. England win the RWC, fantastic lunch and Q&A with Bradders & Duncan Roke Could the day get any better?? |
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Well the answer was a resounding "YES" The weather was going to be a test for both teams however Exeter may have thought it would favour their team and method of play. Well how wrong they were. James Brown got the game underway, the ball was almost stolen by Drew Hickey. No matter the Warriors forwards just stormed in like a herd of rampaging buffalo's. They just hammered the Exeter pack backwards so fast they just fell about the field like wind blown apples This Warriors pack was really and I mean really up for this game |
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After that fantastic display at Plymouth, there was always the danger of complacency, we have seen it before, (after London Welsh away last season) Not this time, it was not just another gear, the whole gearbox had been replaced for a Sherman tank. The forwards, from the moment they game in contact with the Exeter players, totally out muscled and out thought them. They were too quick to the breakdown, driving straight over and through the defence. The inevitable came, a five meter line out, catch, set, drive and bobs your uncle another magnificent, unstoppable forward driven try |
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The restart was missed, giving Exeter the chance to attack. This they did through their forwards, their methodology is so predictable. Work the ball to the edge of the ruck, pick-up and drive close in, then do it again and again. Well The Warriors were having none of it, Exeter were never going to penetrate the home defence using a method that is so pedestrian. However The Warriors did concede a penalty due to over eagerness to get at the ball. 3 Points to Exeter. Within 3 minutes the Warriors replied with another forward try through Richard Bates, who was already having a big game carrying the ball. The Exeter defence just could not cope with the power and dynamism of this rampaging group of 8 True Warriors |
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It was all Worcester with Exeter having
to defend, surviving on silly mistakes and the whistle of Mr Wayne Barnes.
Who generally had a fair game, however some of his decision, were, mystifying.
The Warriors conceded another penalty, for Exeter to take the easy and only
option of the three points All the years I have been watching Exeter and Worcester I have never seen Exeter so totally out powered up front. The extra power that Phil (The Power) Richards has developed in this team, since his arrival in July, has to be seen to be believed. In the set scrum The Warriors, with utter contempt drove the Exeter pack off their own ball time and time again |
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One of the Exeter players who stood out all day was their
talented scrum half. He is quick, with the ability to turn defence very quickly
into attack. However the Warrior's defence is made of pretty resolute material these days (the tightest in the division) |
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Early on in the game Tony Yapp had sustained what looked
like a calf injury, he was eventually forced to leave the field. His replacement played
the same stereo-typical Exeter game, not a problem. Once again The Warriors pack were driving the Exeter 8 all over the field, with recycled ball being fed into the No10 channel for Richard Bates, Neil Lyman and the massive Mark Gabey to come rampaging through, making massive yards. The ball was presented at speed, picked up and driven straight over the hapless Exeter defenders. The massive work rate from The Warriors was creating such intensity, it was going to need a psychologist to repair the mental damage being inflicted on Exeter |
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Once again, yet another penalty was kicked
deep into the Exeter corner on the left. The lineout, like clockwork with Ben Daly hitting the towering Craig Gillies like a guided missile, was once again driven over. Another forwards try. The record books will state who scored it, but this team count it as a try for the growlers, the pack, the steel hearted Warriors of Worcester. Utterly compelling in it's simplicity and execution The Warriors 20 : 6 Exeter |
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The restart was taken and Craig Gillies took a catch that
would make Jonty Rhodes proud (2ft taller but still a great catch). What happened next, one guess? The ball was fed to Richard Bates who just carried all before him and once again we were back in the Exeter half with ball being driven through the Exeter forwards. Could we drive them all the way from the halfway line, we tried, but even this team is not good enough to do that. The ball was taken to the left where great interplay with Tommy Hayes sidestepping three defenders, Gary Trueman cutting through the defensive line, the ball found Wes Davies who took off, outside the first defender, inside the second linked with Ben Daly, who duly knocked on whilst over the try line. |
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However Exeter were driven off their own
ball and yet another driving maul was set up. First one way then the other,
with Exeter defenders being spread like St Ival all over the turf. Over they
went for the 4th and bonus try. Who scored?? Who cares!! It was that
marvellous 8 again, yet another forward driven try and the 4th conceded by
Exeter in 35 minutes. Exeter at every opportunity attempted to score and drive the Warriors backwards but it looked an impossible task, with some great tackles coming in from Ben Daly, Gavin Pfister and Drew Hickey |
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Once again at the end of a half the Warriors were thinking of that dry shirt and a clean up. Exeter played the last 3 minutes of the half better, they had not given up or gone to sleep. They attacked once again through their hard working forwards. This time they kept the ball up and mauled, driving again and again inexorably towards the warriors line. Fully deserving they drove over the Warriors line for an unconverted try |
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Worcester were stung and immediately went back onto the attack surging into the Exeter 22. It looked like a try was on it's way when Mr Barnes blew up for half time a good 2 minutes early. Still, a great 40 minutes of incredible rugby. Following on from the second half display at Plymouth. Could this be sustained into the second half. We would have to wait and see!!! |
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