RELEGATION will no doubt be a tough pill for Worcester Warriors to swallow as their worst fears were confirmed on Saturday following a crushing 44-20 defeat at Saracens.
However, having witnessed the way the Aviva Premiership leaders put Worcester to the sword at the Allianz Park, a season in the Championship maybe just what the doctor ordered.
How long it will take for Warriors’ players to lick their wounds and bounce back to the top flight only time will tell.
But director of rugby Dean Ryan insisted his side would return stronger and would be in a better position to bring success to Sixways.
“There are big players in that changing room who are a hurting. It will test humility and everything else, but it has got to be a driver to ensure that we come back to this level,” he said.
“The Championship isn’t where we want to be, but we have got to work through that and create an environment that bring us back stronger and into a place where we can grow from there.”
Ryan said the club would no longer be a ‘stepping stone or a retirement home’ for players as he looks to build for the future.
“This place has always been in a static position. There been change, but then it’s been in a static position again,” he added.
“But we said right at the beginning of the year that this place has got to change the way it goes about things and we are doing that now. There was a gap in class today, but we can’t solve that until we grow our own players and bring them through.”
Having chalked up just one win all season, it was always going to be tough ask to secure a victory against a Saracens side in ferocious form to keep their survival hopes alive.
And so it proved as the hosts scored two tries in the opening 15 minutes through David Strettle and Chris Ashton.
What Worcester lacked in internationals, though, they gained in grit and determination as they clawed their way back.
Moments after Rhys Gill was sin-binned as a result of heavy pressure on the home side’s line, Warriors crossed the whitewash. With three minutes to go in the half, Chris Pennell finished off a well worked move, which Ryan Lamb converted to get within five points of Sarries’ score.
But just when it appeared Worcester were back in the contest they received a hammer blow just before the break as Jackson Wray powered over from close range. Alex Goode added the extras to move the north Londoners 22-10 in front.
This proved to be the decisive moment as Saracens upped the ante in the second period. Ashton scored his second and his side’s fourth before Goode land a penalty to move Sarries further clear.
Even when Owen Farrell, Billy Vunipola and Schalk Brits were taken off, Warriors continued to struggle as flanker Wray added two further tries to complete his hat-trick.
Worcester refused to give in, though, as Semisi Taulava powered through to score before Pennell touched down after receiving Lamb’s grubber kick.
But it was Saracens who played the game out on the front foot even though they were down to 13 men, with Strettle and Neil de Kock seeing yellow, which just rubbed further salt into their wound.