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22-man Worcester squad includes assistant coach and retired player
Stricken Worcester have finally confirmed their team for Wednesday night’s first-round match as they begin their defence as Premiership Rugby Cup champions. The Warriors won last season’s final at London Irish but there were fears they might have to concede the opening game of their title defence as no team was announced as scheduled on Tuesday in advance of the match.
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Gloucester boss George Skivington remained hopeful that the game would still go ahead, confirming at his media briefing that the Worcester team manager had been in touch about getting car park spaces reserved at Kingsholm for the Premiership Cup fixture.
Now a Worcester match day 22 – one man short as there is no No19 on the bench – has finally been named at 10am on Wednesday, 22 hours after it was originally due to come out and less than ten hours before the scheduled 7:45pm start. So strapped are the Warriors for players, though, that 41-year-old coach Jonny Goodridge and retired ex-player Mat Gilbert are named on the bench in a squad that includes five guest players.
A Worcester statement read: “Warriors academy backs and transition coach Jonny Goodridge and former player Mat Gilbert have come out of retirement to help the club fulfil Wednesday’s opening match in the defence of the Premiership Rugby Cup against Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm.
“Goodridge, 41, had six seasons as a full-back with Gloucester in a career that also included stints with Leeds Carnegie and Bristol before he moved into coaching. Although it is nine years since Goodridge played competitive rugby he regularly takes part in Warriors training sessions and will make his club debut if he comes off the bench at Kingsholm.
“Flanker Gilbert, who retired from playing at the end of last season, has also been named as a replacement at Gloucester. The former England Deaf international last played for Warriors in 2016 after a two-season stint at Sixways and he also played for Llanelli, Mogliano, Bath, Hartpury and Cinderford before he retired in April to run his own pizza business.
“Gilbert is one of five guest players in the match day squad joining lock Ollie Curry, back row forwards Lewis Barrett and Ethan Parkins and replacement hooker Will Tanner. England U18 international back row Theo Mayall will make his Warriors debut having joined the Three Pears Warriors academy this season.
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“Wing Alex Wills and tighthead prop Will Couch, who are also newcomers to the senior academy, are in line for their debuts off the bench. Lock Graham Kitchener, who came off the bench in the Gallagher Premiership matches against London Irish and Exeter Chiefs, is the only player in tonight’s matchday squad to have played this season.”
Seven-try Gloucester went on to win the match 49-21 with the fit-again Jake Polledri playing 67 minutes in his first competitive match in 22 months. For Worcester, who were level 14-all at the break, Gilbert was a 51st-minute substitution while Goodridge was an unused replacement.
Worcester (vs Gloucester, Wednesday)
15. Tobi Wilson; 14. Harri Doel, 13. Oli Morris, 12. Will Butler (capt), 11. Tom Howe; 10. Charlie Titcombe, 9. Ollie Wynn; 1. Kai Owen, 2. Finn Theobald-Thomas, 3. Jack Owlett, 4. Ollie Curry, 5. Graham Kitchener, 6. Theo Mayell, 7. Lewis Barrett, 8. Ethan Parkins. Reps: 16. Will Tanner, 17. Lewis Holsey, 18. Will Couch, 20. Mat Gilbert, 21. Tom Miles, 22. Alex Wills, 23. Jonny Goodridge.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments