WITH just two games left of the season, we gave some of Warriors’ fans the chance to reflect on the 2014/15 campaign and give their thoughts ahead of the Greene King IPA Championship final.
Best away trip?
Yorkshire Carnegie and, for constrating reasons, Cornish Pirates. When we visited Leeds over Christmas, they put us under real pressure and we had to pulled through as a team. My second choice would be Pirates for the knowledge and hospitality shown by opposition supporters.
Unsung hero?
GJ van Velze has led the team very well this year and when times have been desperate he has been the leader on the park, yet never gets the plaudits he deserves.
Has this season gone as you expected?
Like most people I expected the final to be against Bristol. What I did not expect was the club to develop the way it has in such a short space of time.
The evidence of this is the Cavaliers team and the B&I Final up in Doncaster where the first 15 turned out to support the team and were very happy for them at the end.
Dave Long
Proudest moment?
Sitting amongst the Pontypridd fans in the B&I Cup. The ground was electric, and the away fans added a lot to that day. Winning the trophy away at Doncaster has to be up there too.
Star player?
It’s hard to see past Cooper Vuna at the moment. He has brought some real showmanship to Sixways since his arrival – most notoriously punching the ball high up into the corporate boxes after his first try.
Biggest disappointment this season?
Losing Mike Williams to Leicester Tigers. He has been a real powerhouse in the pack, and the type of player we need to keep hold of if we are to seriously challenge in the Premiership.
Spencer Morris
Try of the season?
There are certainly many to choose from this season, but my pick would be Mike Daniel’s 60 metre effort against Doncaster. Not only did a prop run 60m with ball in hand but he outran Doncaster backs to score the deciding try in what had been a tight match for the first 50 minutes.
Which academy prospect showed the most promise?
For me it has to be Mike Daniels again. He has come from university rugby and fitted straight into professional rugby. Considered young for a prop, he has scrummaged well, been outstanding in the loose and consistently outperformed more seasoned props. I can see him fighting Nick Schonert all the way for the number three shirt over the coming seasons.
Have Warriors got enough about them to survive in the Premiership?
Almost. As we are seeing now, we have more depth to the squad than in previous seasons, but all it takes is two or three key positional injuries and we are reliant on less experienced “raw” talent.
If we get promoted I think we will recruit further – maybe following the world cup.
Phill Mason
How do you think the final will unfold?
DL: On paper Bristol should win as they have built a team for this final but on the day who knows?
It will be down to discipline and the team that does not switch off for any period of time in the game and keeps the intensity going until the end.
SM: Obviously, it will be close. The nine, ten, 12 channel of Dwayne Peel, Nicky Robinson and Gavin Henson will certainly test our defence.
However, I think we have the squad to turn Bristol over both home and away. I’m going for a Worcester win of seven points over the two legs.
PM: As a team we now have experience of cup final rugby and performing in finals such as the A League and B&I Cup finals, which gives us an edge over Bristol.
I can see the first leg going either way by five points with us following that up with a ten-point victory at a packed Sixways.