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Worcester snap five-game losing streak with victory over Bristol

By PA
(Photo / PA)

Worcester ended a run of five successive Premiership defeats and gave Steve Diamond his first win in charge as they toppled Bristol 19-14 at Sixways.

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The Warriors’ first Premiership victory for more than two months was secured by tries from wing Duhan van der Merwe, centre Ashley Beck and number eight Sione Vailanu.

Fly-half Fin Smith kicked two conversions, and it was another sobering night for Bristol a week after they conceded 49 points at home to London Irish.

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First-half touchdowns from skipper Steven Luatua and prop Max Lahiff – both converted by fly-half Callum Sheedy – put Bristol back in the contest after they trailed by 14 points early on.

But Vailanu’s 45th-minute try ultimately proved the difference as Bristol suffered a 10th league defeat of the campaign after they were Premiership title contenders last term.

Van Der Merwe returned from Scotland Six Nations duty for Worcester, while Bristol scrum-half Theo Strang made his first Premiership start, with his fellow number nines Harry Randall, Andy Uren and Tom Whiteley all unavailable.

A minute’s applause was held before kick-off in an emotional tribute to Evesham player Jack Jeffery, who was injured during a Midlands league game last weekend and later died in hospital.

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His parents Glenn and Angi, twin brother Charlie and sister Daisy were at Sixways as guests of Worcester – the clubs are just 15 miles apart – while Evesham’s first-team squad lined up in front of Worcester and Bristol players for the minute’s applause.

The Warriors made a flying start, going ahead after just five minutes as Van Der Merwe underlined his world-class quality.

Full-back Jemie Shillcock was the creator, kicking superbly into space before Van Der Merwe showcased blistering pace and gathered possession on the bounce to score, before Smith’s touchline conversion opened up a seven-point lead.

Bristol were rocked back on their heels by Worcester’s accuracy, which was underlined by a number of handling errors as they looked to work their way into the contest.

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But Worcester had no intention of losing momentum, and Vailanu’s surge into the heart of Bristol’s defence drew in tacklers, then quickly recycled ball allowed Beck a simple finish, and Smith again converted.

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It was a miserable opening quarter for the visitors, yet the response they required soon arrived as skipper Luatua barged his way over to claim a consolation try, with Sheedy’s conversion halving the deficit.

Bristol now had momentum, and they struck again just three minutes later through another close-range effort as Lahiff scored and Sheedy’s conversion tied things up at 14-14.

It proved the final scoring act of a richly-entertaining half highlighted by both sides’ admirable attacking intent.

Worcester enjoyed a dominant opening to the second period, with scrum-half Gareth Simpson and wing Perry Humphreys combining impressively, then Vailanu smashed through attempted tackles from Sheedy and Ioan Lloyd for a try that put Warriors back in front.

Bristol lost Luatua and centre Piers O’Conor to injuries midway through the third quarter, then wing Jack Bates departed after he was yellow-carded by referee Wayne Barnes for a deliberate knock-on.

And Bristol’s scrum-half woes continued when loan signing Toby Venner, who went on for Strang, limped off, meaning that full-back Lloyd took over in that position.

Worcester could see the finishing line, and they reached it despite late Bristol pressure that was nullified by a superb tackle deep inside his own half from Warriors substitute Billy Searle.

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J
Jon 46 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

32 Go to comments
j
john 3 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 8 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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