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HARTPURY 28–34 WARRIORS
FOURTEEN MEN, FIVE TRIES AND A WARRIORS FIGHTBACK TO REMEMBER!
THE CHAMPIONS ARRIVE — AND THE TRAVELLING ARMY MAKES ITSELF HEARD
It was an easy enough trip down to Hartpury, with coaches and cars full of excited, expectant Warriors supporters making their way into Gloucestershire. Five wins from five was the ambition, and after the opening four matches of the Championship campaign, there was every reason to travel with confidence. Bedford had been beaten, Rotherham swept aside, Richmond conquered in dramatic fashion and Nottingham dispatched at Sixways. Now came Hartpury, a side that had caused us plenty of frustration in previous meetings and one that would be determined to make home advantage count.
There was no shortage of belief among the travelling support, but we knew this would be a serious test. Hartpury had the players to cause problems, and we were going to have to earn every point. What none of us could have predicted was quite how much adversity our Warriors would have to overcome before they could celebrate another victory.
When the teams emerged, the travelling Warriors support made its presence felt immediately. The boys ran out to a huge wall of sound, with the noise from the blue and gold army threatening to drown out the home support. It was a wonderful welcome, full of enthusiasm and expectation, and a reminder that Worcester supporters do not need to be at Sixways to make themselves heard. Wherever our Warriors go, we go with them.
The atmosphere was set, the players were ready, and the match began at a furious pace. Both teams were eager to establish control, with the opening exchanges played at speed and with plenty of physical commitment. Hartpury wanted to make an early statement on their own ground, while the Warriors were looking to impose their game and continue the attacking form that had served them so well in the opening weeks.
But it was Hartpury who struck first, and the opening exchanges were to prove far more difficult than we had hoped.
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THE OPENING QUARTER — HARTPURY TAKE CONTROL
The first try came after five minutes, when Hartpury moved the ball quickly towards the far wing. Siva Naulago put in a huge hit on fly-half Harry Bazalgette, but the Hartpury playmaker managed to get the ball away before contact could stop the attack. The resulting overlap was exploited, and full-back Brad Denty crossed for the opening score.
It was a frustrating start. Naulago had delivered a massive defensive hit, but Hartpury had managed to keep the ball alive and take advantage of the space created out wide. Bazalgette converted, and we were immediately chasing the game.
Hartpury 7–0 Worcester.
The Warriors tried to respond, but the hosts were full of energy and confidence, and the next score came from another passage of play that left us shaking our heads. On seventeen minutes, Charlie Powell crossed for Hartpury's second try after the home side broke into our twenty-two following an intercept. From our position as supporters, the build-up was particularly frustrating. Will Lane appeared to be impeded by the referee just as he was preparing to make an attacking pass, and the resulting loose ball was gathered by Hartpury, who took full advantage.
In our view, it was a try that should never have been allowed to develop in the first place. The referee's positioning had obstructed the Warriors' attack, yet Hartpury were permitted to play on and score. There was little consolation in the fact that Powell's try went unconverted. The scoreboard now showed 12–0, and we had barely reached the end of the opening twenty minutes.
It was not the start we had travelled in hope of seeing, and the Warriors needed to find a response quickly. But if there is one quality this squad has shown repeatedly, it is a refusal to accept defeat simply because the opposition has gained the upper hand.
The response began with the forwards.
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CHERRY GETS US GOING
THEN COMES THE DISASTER
Worcester began to work their way back into the contest, building pressure and taking the game to Hartpury. The forwards began to establish a platform, and the Warriors found themselves with an opportunity to get onto the scoreboard. James Cherry took it, driving over the line for his second try for the club.
It was exactly the sort of score we needed. Not a complicated piece of rugby, but a determined finish that rewarded the pressure being applied by the pack. Reed added the conversion, and at 12–7 the Warriors were back in the contest.
The travelling support had something to shout about, and suddenly the afternoon looked a little brighter. We had seen our side come from behind before, and there was time to turn this game around. Hartpury had made the early running, but the Warriors were beginning to find their feet.
Then came the moment that changed the whole complexion of the match.
Siva Naulago was involved in an incident following contact at the ruck, and after reacting to what we saw as foul play from Hartpury, he was shown a red card. Hartpury's Noah Williams was also shown a yellow card for his involvement, but the consequence for Worcester was far more serious: we were going to have to play for the remainder of the match with fourteen men.
There was a stunned feeling among the travelling supporters. Naulago is a powerful, committed player, and losing him so early was a major blow. Whatever the precise interpretation of the incident, the punishment left the Warriors facing an enormous challenge. We were away from home, already behind on the scoreboard, and now had to find a way to compete with one player fewer.
It was the sort of moment that can unravel a team. Heads can drop, discipline can disappear, and an opposition that senses weakness can take full advantage.
But these Warriors are made of sterner stuff.
Hartpury added a penalty through Bazalgette on 31 minutes, extending their advantage to 15–7. For the travelling supporters, it was another frustration, but there was still time for Worcester to respond before half-time. And respond they did.
On 38 minutes, Tim Anstee took a magnificent line through the Hartpury defence and burst through to score under the posts. It was a superb piece of attacking play, the sort of run that turns a difficult afternoon into a contest again. Reed converted, bringing the score back to 15–14.
For a moment, the mood lifted. The Warriors had been reduced to fourteen men, yet they had found a way to score and put Hartpury under pressure. It was a statement of intent from a team that refused to let the red card define its afternoon.
There was still one final blow before the interval, as Bazalgette kicked another penalty on the stroke of half-time to give Hartpury an 18–12 lead.
The whistle sounded with six points between the sides. We were behind, we were down to fourteen men, and we had a huge second half ahead of us.
But we were still very much in the fight.
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HALF-TIME
HARTPURY 18–12 WARRIORS
It was difficult to imagine a more testing first half. Hartpury had taken advantage of their early opportunities, we had been left frustrated by the circumstances surrounding their second try, and Naulago's red card had forced the Warriors to reorganise with an enormous amount of rugby still to play.
Yet the scoreboard told us something important: despite everything that had happened, we were only six points behind.
Cherry had got us started, Anstee had produced a brilliant line to score, and the Warriors had shown that they could still create opportunities. The challenge now was to turn that promise into a performance capable of winning the match.
Playing fourteen against fifteen for the entire second half was going to demand an extraordinary collective effort. Every player would have to work harder, cover more ground and make every possession count. There could be no passengers, no unnecessary penalties and no loss of concentration.
Hartpury would know that they had an extra man and would look to exploit the space. The Warriors needed to stay disciplined, keep believing and find a way to turn the contest around.
As supporters, we had every reason to be anxious. But we also had every reason to believe.
After all, these are our Warriors.
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HARTPURY STRIKE AGAIN
THE CHALLENGE GETS BIGGER
The second half began with Hartpury looking to make their numerical advantage count, and on 48 minutes centre Robbie Smith broke through the defensive line from a scrum to score their third try. Bazalgette converted, and Hartpury had extended their lead to 25–12.
It was another blow, and the task facing Worcester now looked even more daunting. We were thirteen points behind, with more than half an hour remaining and still playing with fourteen men. Hartpury had the opportunity to take control, stretch the defence and make the extra player count.
But the Warriors did not fold.
Instead, they began to take control of the contest through their forward power, their patience and their refusal to stop working. The scrum became an important weapon, allowing Worcester to put Hartpury under pressure and force the home side into conceding penalties. The Warriors were beginning to establish themselves close to the Hartpury line, and the home defence was being asked to withstand a series of increasingly difficult challenges.
This was where the character of the squad began to shine through. Playing a man short can make it tempting to conserve energy and retreat into survival mode. Instead, Worcester kept attacking. They kept looking for gaps, kept moving the ball and kept forcing Hartpury to defend.
The comeback was beginning to take shape. |
KVESIC LEADS THE FIGHTBACK
With seventeen minutes remaining, the Warriors were awarded another opportunity to attack close to the Hartpury line. The pressure had been building, the forwards were doing their work, and the team needed a finish to turn the contest back in our favour.
Matt Kvesic supplied it.
On 63 minutes, the captain crashed over to score Worcester's third try. Reed added the conversion, and the gap was reduced to 25–19. Suddenly, the Warriors were within a converted try of drawing level, and the travelling support had every reason to believe that something special was happening.
The captain had led from the front, and his try gave the whole team a lift. It was a reward for the pressure Worcester had been building and a reminder that Hartpury were finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the Warriors' forward power.
Four minutes later, the pressure told again.
The Warriors continued to force penalties and drive Hartpury backwards, and when the ball was moved out wide, Louis Brown finished well to score in the corner. This time the conversion was unsuccessful, but the try brought Worcester to within a single point at
25 : 24
From thirteen points behind, playing with fourteen men, the Warriors were suddenly on the brink of taking the lead.
The travelling support must have been wondering what on earth they were witnessing. We had gone from the despair of the red card and the frustration of Hartpury's early advantage to a position where victory was suddenly within reach. The players were feeding off one another, the forwards were gaining the upper hand, and Hartpury were beginning to look unsettled.
The game was turning. |
WILL LANE PUTS THE WARRIORS IN FRONT!
On 71 minutes, the decisive moment arrived. Another period of pressure saw Worcester move the ball towards the blindside, and scrum-half Will Lane spotted the opportunity to break around the edge of the driving maul. He found the space, accelerated towards the corner and crossed the line for the Warriors' fifth try of the afternoon.
Reed converted from out wide, and suddenly the scoreboard read
25 : 31
We were ahead!
Think about that for a moment. We had started the second half thirteen points behind, playing with fourteen men against fifteen. We had conceded another try and faced the prospect of Hartpury taking complete control. Yet in the space of eight minutes, the Warriors had scored three tries and turned the game on its head.
It was a magnificent response, built on forward power, attacking intelligence and the sheer determination of a team that refused to accept the odds stacked against it. Kvesic had led the charge, Brown had finished out wide, and Lane had delivered the score that finally put Worcester in front.
The travelling support had every reason to erupt. We had come down to Hartpury hoping for another victory, and now we were watching our boys produce a comeback that will live long in the memory.
There was still work to do, of course. Hartpury were not going to surrender without a fight, and the closing stages were going to demand the same concentration and discipline that had brought us back into the contest.
But the Warriors had seized the initiative, and they were not about to give it away cheaply. |
THE FINISHERS
MAGNIFICENT FROM THE BENCH
One of the most impressive aspects of this victory was the impact made by the replacement players, the finishers who came on and helped change the balance of the game. In a contest where Worcester had been forced to play with fourteen men for so long, the energy and influence of those fresh legs were invaluable.
They did not simply maintain the effort of the starting fifteen. They helped change the dominance and control of the contest. The scrum began to apply serious pressure, the forwards continued to force penalties, and the Warriors found ways to keep Hartpury pinned back when the home side should have been looking to exploit its numerical advantage.
It is easy to focus on the try scorers, and rightly so, but this was a victory built by the entire matchday squad. The replacements brought fresh energy into a tiring contest, and the team continued to play with the belief that it could finish the job.
Will Reed's penalty on 74 minutes stretched the advantage to 34–25, giving Worcester a little more breathing space. Hartpury replied with a penalty from Bazalgette two minutes later, reducing the gap to 34–28 and ensuring that the final stages would remain tense.
The Warriors still had to defend. They still had to manage the clock, make good decisions and keep Hartpury from finding the try that would turn the match once again.
But this time, we held firm.
The final whistle confirmed it:
Hartpury 28–34 Worcester Warriors.
Five tries, a penalty, and a victory earned through grit, determination and a magnificent second-half response.
Fourteen men for fifty minutes.
Five wins from five.
And another afternoon when the Warriors showed exactly what they are made of. |
A COMEBACK BUILT ON CHARACTER
There will be plenty to discuss about this match in the days ahead. The early tries conceded, the disputed circumstances of Hartpury's second score, Naulago's red card and the challenge of playing with fourteen men for so long will all form part of the conversation.
But for me, the defining feature of this victory was the response.
The Warriors could have allowed the red card to become the story of the afternoon. They could have become frustrated, lost their discipline and accepted that the task was simply too difficult. Instead, they regrouped, worked harder and began to take control of the game.
Cherry and Anstee gave us hope in the first half. Kvesic led the second-half fightback, Brown brought us within a point, and Lane's try completed the turnaround. Reed's kicking ensured that the pressure was translated into points, while the replacements made a decisive contribution to the final stages.
And the forwards deserve enormous credit. Their work at the scrum, their driving power and their willingness to keep carrying the ball put Hartpury under pressure when Worcester needed it most. The finishers came on and lifted the performance further, showing the depth and strength that every successful squad needs.
This was not a comfortable victory. It was not a perfect performance. But it was a performance that demonstrated the character of a team capable of overcoming setbacks and finding a way to win.
Championship campaigns are not built solely on the days when everything goes according to plan. They are built on afternoons like this, when the pressure is enormous, the odds are against you and the team has to find something extra.
At Hartpury, our Warriors found it. |
FIVE FROM FIVE
THE CHAMPIONS KEEP MARCHING
Five matches, five victories, and another chapter in a season that is already giving the supporters plenty to celebrate.
The opening four matches had brought four bonus-point wins, but this was a different kind of test. There was no comfortable finish, no long period of cruising towards the final whistle. Instead, the Warriors had to recover from a difficult start, cope with the loss of a player and then produce a remarkable burst of attacking rugby to turn the contest around.
That is what makes this result so valuable. It shows that Worcester can win in different ways, that the squad has the depth to respond when circumstances change, and that the players have the belief to keep fighting when the situation looks bleak.
The Championship is a long competition, and there will be tougher tests ahead. We should not get carried away after five victories, but neither should we underestimate what this team is achieving. The Warriors have shown attacking quality, resilience and the ability to respond to adversity. Those are qualities that will serve us well as the season develops.
And we, the supporters, have our part to play. The wall of sound that greeted the team at Hartpury was a reminder that the blue and gold army travels with its club. We cannot make the tackles, win the scrums or score the tries, but we can make sure the players know that they are never alone. |
NEXT STOP — BLACKHEATH
Now the Warriors return to Sixways, with Blackheath arriving on Friday 30 October. After an away victory as hard-earned as this one, the players deserve a proper welcome home. They have given us five wins from five, and they have shown that this squad has the character to overcome whatever is thrown at it.
Let us make the next home game another occasion to remember. Let the stands fill, let the songs ring out and let every player in blue and gold feel the support from the moment they run onto the pitch.
We have fought hard to get our club back. We have rebuilt our team, restored our pride and started a Championship campaign with a run that deserves to be celebrated. Now we must keep pushing, keep believing and keep backing the boys.
Five wins from five.
Fourteen men against fifteen.
Three tries in eight extraordinary minutes.
And a Warriors team that simply refused to be beaten.
The champions are marching on. The blue and gold army is right behind them. And Fortress Sixways is ready to roar again.
COME ON YOU WARRIORS! |
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