Sharks scent revenge as Warriors bid for top six - The Worcester Observer

Sharks scent revenge as Warriors bid for top six

Worcester Editorial 27th Nov, 2019   0

WARRIORS return to Gallagher Premiership action this weekend with a place in the top six on offer with victory over Sale Sharks.

A win at Sixways on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) will elevate Alan Solomons men to at least sixth place with Sharks, currently in third place, just two points ahead of Worcester in seventh.

Like Warriors, Sale have also won two and lost two of their opening Premiership contests and the visitors have unhappy memories of Sixways with two defeats in the Faithful City last season.

Last October’s 35-3 reverse in the Premiership Rugby Cup was compounded by a 39-17 success for Warriors in April as Solomons’ men secured safety in English rugby’s top flight.




Sharks head to Worcester on the back of a 25-16 win over La Rochelle in the European Champions Cup encounter to bounce back from their opening-round 13-7 reverse to Glasgow Warriors.

Warriors go into the clash following a 17-9 defeat in France to Castres Olympique.


Solomons’ men narrowly missed out on a consolation bonus point which would have been just reward for a brave effort against a huge Castres pack at a soggy Stade Pierre-Fabre in the south of France on Saturday.

Warriors played a canny tactical kicking game, similar to the one that brought them victory against Ospreys in this competition last year, but on this occasion it was not quite enough to force victory.

A penalty seven minutes from time from Benjamin Urdapilleta pushed Castres eight points clear which was enough to keep Warriors out of bonus point range.

Try-scoring opportunities were at a premium for both teams but Castres converted the two they had in the first half when wing Filipo Nakosi barrelled over – albeit with a suspicion of a knock-on in the build-up – and flanker Baptiste Delaporte dotted down after Castres found a gap in the defence.

Warriors had to settle for three penalties from Duncan Weir which kept them in the hunt until Urdapilleta’s late strike.

The result meant that Ryan Mills was unable to celebrate becoming only the 23rd Warriors player to make 100 first-team appearances with a victory. Jamie Shillcock reached the 50 appearances milestone when he came on as a second half replacement for Chris Pennell.

Online Editions

Catch up on your local news by reading our e-editions on the Worcester Observer.

Announcements

Weddings, Birthdays, Bereavements, Thank you notices, Marriages and more.

Reader Travel

Check out all of the latest reader travel offers to get your hands on some free gifts.

Subscribe

Receive a weekly update to your inbox by signing up to our weekly newsletter.