DEFENCE coach Simon Cross hailed centre Jackson Willison as one of Warriors’ most valuable defenders this season.
Cross, who is overseeing the Sixways side’s first-team in this year’s Anglo-Welsh Cup, has been blown away by how fast the Kiwi has changed the way he used to defend in Super Rugby to the aggressive defence Warriors employ.
But the Scotsman also admitted the club’s defence has areas which can be improved.
“Defence is about two things. One is stopping the opposition scoring and the other is about winning the ball back,” said Cross.
“There have been areas of the defence I’m very happy with, but there are areas I’m not pleased with. In terms of our turnover statistics and getting the ball back, we’re sitting top of the Aviva Premiership, so that’s a massive tick in the box.
“But we need to get better at our one-on-one and tackle completion stats, which aren’t where they need to be. If we improve in that area and maintain our work around the breakdown, we’ll be a pretty tough defence to play against.
“The player who has moulded everything together for me is Jackson Willison. The way he has come in and gone from a drift defence in New Zealand to learning how we defend as a straight line press and aggressive line, has surprised me. He’s learnt very fast.
“The tackle he made against Newcastle to turn the ball over and flick it up to Tom Heathcote who teed up Wynand Olivier to score, showed me he has bought into what we’re trying to a do in defence. He has been one of our most valuable defenders so far this campaign.
“If you’ve been doing something for seven to eight years and then have to learn something new over just a three to four month period is difficult. It’s the complete opposite to how he was playing before,” he added.
The Anglo-Welsh Cup is Cross’ first time at the helm of Warriors’ first-team.
“It’s good fun and it has given me a better understanding of what [head coach[ Carl Hogg has to deal with during the week,” he added.
“I had a spell in charge of Edinburgh Academical before I came to Warriors, so it’s not something completely new to me. Gordon Ross and Mefin Davies have helped with attack and defence.”