DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Ryan has backed Ryan Lamb to bounce back from his disappointing kicking display at Ashton Gate.
The mercurial fly-half spurned nine points from the tee, including three conversions and a penalty, which could have put Worcester Warriors out of sight in the Greene King IPA Championship final.
His last-gasp conversion did, however, give Warriors a one-point advantage over Bristol in last week’s final, first leg and Ryan said he was confident Lamb would be back to his best at Sixways for the return tonight (Wednesday).
“I think if anyone could bounce back, it is probably Ryan,” he said. “He is probably the least effected by what happened a minute ago than anybody.
“I think people think if I go and tell him to kick well everything will get better.
“I chatted to him afterwards and he said the first two he struck really well and they went where he wanted them to, but the ball did not move the way he thought it would.
“Then he said he ‘could not hit it with a 50p’.
“It’s just life as a goal-kicker – sometimes you have one of those days, so I am not concerned with Ryan going into the game.”
The Warriors boss said what former Gloucester stand-off Lamb offered with ball in hand was “outstanding” as the 29-year-old’s passing ability set up tries for Tom Biggs and Cooper Vuna.
“It is a big game [tonight] and he plays well in big games,” he said. “Ryan has shown why he is one of the best ball-in-hand tens around, so I don’t have any issues with him.
“We scored five tries against an excellent side, so we have got to make sure that we hold on to the things that we are know we are very good at and we have also got to make sure we work hard on the things we can be better at and Ryan is aware of that.”