AFTER rousing displays in the LV= Cup, Worcester Warriors crashed back to earth in the Aviva Premiership as they lost 26-10 at Sale Sharks.
While the Anglo-Welsh competition offered Worcester the chance to release the shackles, the intensity and pressure of the league continues to be the Sixways side’s undoing.
And it all unfolded in the second half at the AJ Bell Stadium as Warriors, who have yet to win in the Premiership this season, shipped three tries after a resilient opening period.
Director of rugby Dean Ryan said James Gaskell’s try just after the interval, with his side 7-3 behind, was the turning point.
“We were resilient for the first 50 minutes and at half-time we talked about being confident and pushing on,” he said.
“Defensively we were difficult to break down and we were all the things that we have shown in recent weeks.
“But I was disappointed with the second try after the break. We were competitive until the game stepped away from us at that pivotal moment.”
Things appeared to be on the up for Warriors after two impressive performances in the LV=Cup, including a confidence boosting victory over Cardiff Blues.
And they made a positive start at Sale, with early pressure offering the visitors the first chance at goal, which Ignacio Mieres put wide.
James Stephenson was one of the youngsters to light up Sixways last week and the wing was looking threatening early on in Salford.
Mieres soon put Warriors in front with a penalty, but it was the hosts who crucially crossed the whitewash on the 20th minute mark.
After Chris Pennell made a powerful run up-field, Sale quickly came on the counter-attack, which caught Worcester off guard. Mark Cueto collected Will Addison’s cross-field kick to touch down. Danny Cipriani added the extras, but he was unable to land a penalty moments later as Warriors trailed 7-3.
Pennell was at the centre of most of Worcester’s attacking play and it was his quickness of thought, which almost handed his team their first try just before the break.
The full back chipped the ball through to Stephenson, who was just unable to pounce as Tom Arscott got back to deny the 21-year-old back.
Despite the missed opportunity, the visitors were in a strong position as they came out for the second half.
But the chance of victory quickly slipped away as Sale upped the ante and soon broke through Worcester’s resistance.
Gaskell finished off a superb move to score before Cipriani converted Dan Baird’s try ten minutes later to move 21-3 in front
The two tries left Warriors with a mountain to claim, but they continued to battle away before they got their reward.
Ofa Fainga’anuku squeezed over after a powerful driving maul, which Worcester’s fans hoped would trigger a comeback.
But Sale soon rounded off the victory when Arscott went over in the corner against his former club before Dean Schofield’s late try was ruled out to compound Warriors’ misery.