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| The Tuts Report | The John Brain Interview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The second half was
going to be a big 40 minutes for both clubs. It was vital Worcester won this
game, as it would set the standard and expectation for the second half of
the season. We were at home in front of a sell-out passionate crowd. Irish
had lost to Saints the previous weekend, another loss and they join the
melting pot for the relegation battle. The work rate from both side is enormous, so the crowd were expecting a special 40 minutes They were not disappointed |
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The rugby may not
have been the best in the world. But the excitement, the passion the sheer
electricity within the stadium set the game on fire. Irish tried a change of tactics and ran the ball slightly wider looking to make space for their pacey wingers. However Dale Rasmussen had a different agenda. If the player has got the ball then he is a legitimate target for his bone crunching tackles. Again and again he hit his opposite number forcing the ball loose on many occasions as the shock waves passed through their bodies. One massive tackle on Mapletoft ended his spirit, he was soon replaced |
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The lineouts were
now actually being dominated by Worcester. They were taking ball almost at
will off the Irish throw and securing their own ball. Not always tidily as
the Irish have a great disruptive game plan. Brad McCloud-Henderson was outstanding, a rock of reliability. He was having his best game ever at Sixways and the supporters knew it, cheering him onwards. The injury state of the Irish increased as they tried to bully these Warriors off the ball, it was never going to happen. No-one has done that this season. Leicester played them out of the game, not by using these sorts of tactics |
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Back on had come
Big Tim and his power was once again causing distress in the Irish forwards
momentum. He constantly caught the scrumhalf in possession as he bludgeoned
his way through the middle of the rucks. A rare penalty was conceded just inside the Warriors 10 meter line. Up came Barry Everitt to hit an absolute peach in awful conditions. Warriors 11 : 6 Irish And it was game on!! |
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It was time to hit
the go pedal again. Worcester had learnt from other encounters with the
Irish, "Do Not Play In Your Own Half!!", Tommy Hayes was keeping them
turned. Who was doing the damage? Matt Powell who had been outstanding from his first touch, continued to take the game to them. Attacking at every opportunity. His box kicking, his grubbers, his runs, his passes were setting the stadium alight and Irish had no answer. His sniping runs were causing the Irish loose forwards to completely change their defensive game plan, leaving holes for the Warriors forwards and backs to exploit. |
And Exploit it they did as attack after
attack reigned in on the Irish defence, punctuated by breakouts by the
spirited Irish back line. However the pressure started to tell as a great
series of attacks first from Lombard ,then Rasmussen and finally a supported
drive saw the ball beautifully slipped to Lombard who cracked the defence
wide open for the second try of the game. Three more times saw the Warriors in the same situation but a stuttering of the game plan and the moment was lost. 3 more tries had gone begging Warriors 16 : 6 Irish |
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Powell was still
causing them real problems as they sought to deal with his pace and
strength. By far and away the most influential player on the field. The
easiest man of the match to select since Harlequins and guess who that was?? Irish were not done, by a long way. They are a fit side and work very hard for each other, but when a side is predominately concerned with defence it is so, so difficult to carve out any attacks. There lack of ability to break down defences enabled the warriors to take a more pragmatic approach to their attacks
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Back came the Irish
into the Worcester half, great organisation and big tackling allowed
Worcester to turn-over the ball, with Hayes dropping the ball on the Irish
22, allowing the Warriors to drive down into the Irish 22. It was end to end
stuff and the crowd were loving it. The noise was ever increasing as the 40 minutes were coming to an end. Could the Warriors score another try, they certainly deserved it. Finally the injured Neikerk had to be replaced by the fizzing Chris Hall. This added unexpected pace for the Irish to defend against. Every Irish replacement had been used by this time as the sheer physicality of the game took its toll |
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The Warriors forwards were now in control of the game to the extent where they were taking all balls at the lineout and had decimated the Irish set piece time and time again. Horsman, Neikerk and Windo are a scrummaging nightmare for any opposition front row and they are also mobile. The crowd now realised the bonus point was gone but the game was won as the skies opened. Almost obliterating the view from the West Stand. You brave Easties took it all and still continued to stamp and roar. What a place Sixways is becoming Final Whistle: Warriors 16 : 6 Irish A well deserved and fought for victory |
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This was a special
day This was the start of our climb |
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With your help we may not lose another home game!! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Observations: 1. The game that had to be won and was! 2. The team played magnificently, a team who wanted this win badly 3. The effort, the drive, the commitment was massive from every single player encouraged every step of the way by Pat Sanderson 4. Brad McCloud-Henderson had his best game for Worcester by a country mile. He has really shown what he can do when fully committed 5. Every member of the pack gets better by the game. Just how good are we going to be by the end of our first season in the Premiership |
6. The Support: What can be said apart from brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Everyone of you take a bow. Now we do the same for each and every home game. may I suggest that if you are not a season ticket holder go and get a half season ticket to make sure of your seat because every home game will be a sell out, guaranteed! 7. Man of the Match: no contest Matt Powell by a mile!! With this form and determination coupled with the fervour of the home support Sixways really is a deserving of the title "Fortress Sixways" 8. Now let's continue to turn the support into something special. Join the WWSC and support the organised functions. A massive Mid Season party is booked for Friday 28 Jan, details on the board. Lets make it a celebration for what has already been achieved and what is to come. A bigger mammoth party is planed for May join now and lets make our supporters club the best in the country!! |
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