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Beleaguered Worcester beaten by Exeter at Sixways
Exeter ensured there was no fairytale ending to a turbulent week for beleaguered Worcester as the Chiefs claimed a 36-21 victory at Sixways.
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The crisis-hit Warriors, with debts spiralling as high as £25million, just met Friday’s deadline to allow the Gallagher Premiership fixture to take place with their support staff having to perform miracles to meet stringent regulations in order to do so.
Many of those people, as well as the players, are yet to receive their full salaries and their efforts were recognised as dozens formed a guard of honour as the team took the field before a regulated crowd of 5,000.
Worcester played with huge spirit but Exeter always had the edge and ended up outscoring their hosts five tries to three.
Two came from the impressive Exeter number eight Richard Capstick, with the Chiefs other scores coming from Olly Woodburn, Jack Maunder and Joe Simmonds, who added four conversions and a penalty.
"Warriors! Warriors! Warriors!" ? @WorcsWarriors fans applaud in the 65th minute, showing appreciation to the unpaid volunteers & staff who ensured that today's game vs. Exeter could go ahead ?#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/UFljhWZ4QB
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 18, 2022
Alex Hearle, Gareth Simpson and Ollie Lawrence scored Worcester’s tries, two of which were converted by Owen Williams with Billy Searle adding the extras for the other.
It took less than three minutes for Worcester to fall behind when Exeter’s accurate inter-passing created a huge gap in the hosts’ defence for Simmonds to stroll over.
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Worcester’s woes soon worsened when Murray McCallum was sin-binned for a dangerous challenge on Simmonds and, in the prop’s absence, Exeter extended their lead when Capstick collected a long pass from Jack Nowell to score.
McCallum returned in time to see his front-row colleague Valery Morozov depart with injured, with British Lion Rory Sutherland replacing him.
Warriors needed a boost and they got one. A strong run from Lawrence put the visitors’ defence on the back foot to create space for Hearle, who squeezed past his opponent before running 25 metres for an excellent try.
It was Exeter’s turn to lose a player to injury when prop Marcus Street limped off but they overcame that setback to create a second try for Capstick.
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Rory O’Loughlin began the move by cleverly stepping inside Perry Humphreys to send Olly Woodburn racing away. The wing linked with his support before Capstick was again on hand to charge over.
Simmonds converted before adding a penalty to leave his side with a 22-7 half-time advantage.
Five minutes after the restart, Warriors stunned Chiefs with a superb second try as they got a foothold back into the game. From deep inside his own half, Joe Batley stormed up field on a 40-metre run before providing Simpson with the scoring pass.
Exeter were rattled but they regained their composure when well-timed passing from Harvey Skinner and Simmonds gave Woodburn a walk-in.
Still Warriors would not lie down with Lawrence bumping off a tackle to reward a pre-planned line-out move but Exeter had the final say with their fifth try scored by replacement, Maunder.
Comments on RugbyPass
He would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to comments