IT will be a bit of an anti-climax when we make the short trip to Birmingham on Saturday but I am determined to end the season with victory.
Everyone is well aware that promotion is now out of sight and although the league will not be mathematically settled until the weekend, it's over for this season.
I telephoned Phil Davies after our win over Moseley on Saturday to congratulate him and although it's never easy to admit defeat, Leeds are worthy winners of the competition. You have to be big enough to accept that and look at the facts. Phil has done a great job there but he has also had the time to build up the club and find a winning team. We have enjoyed a very successful season and know that we will improve for the next campaign - we will have to because we will have Rotherham to contend with.
However, before we look ahead to September, we have the matter of the final league game for this season to play. Birmingham & Solihull, after promotion last season, have had a tough time and have spent most of their time battling to avoid the drop. Waterloo have already gone through the trap door and the only matter in the league that now needs to be resolved is the other relegated team. Birmingham, after their 19-18 win over Bedford last night are now four points ahead of Orrell, and victory over us will secure their National One status.
On paper, the game is more important to them than to us but I can assure Worcester supporters and, for that matter, the rest of the league that we will do ourselves justice. It would be unfair for Orrell if we just decided that this game meant nothing. It is important for our pride as professional sportsmen. We have lost just two games this season and that tally is certainly not one I want to see increased. We can finish the season on 115 points, just five behind Leeds and that is something I want to see at Birmingham.
The 'derbies' come thick and fast after Saturday's 43-17 win over Moseley. I was very pleased with the side's performance on the whole and there were some very positive signs to come out of the game. I thought Scott Barrow was excellent while young Tom Warren came on in the second half and scored a try with his first touch. He is very hungry to succeed and that is one of the reasons he made the switch from Moseley to Worcester - he wants to play full-time in a professional environment.
Warren, on the back of that substitute appearance, gets his first start in a Worcester shirt at Birmingham. He has obviously been delighted by the news and hopefully can show the supporters just what he is capable of. The only other change sees Earl Va'a come back into the side in place of Rudi Keil. Rudi decided to leave Worcester and return home to South Africa earlier this week. He has done a superb job for us while Andy Higgins was out injured but just felt that his best chance of making a breakthrough at international level would be by playing in the Currie Cup.
Obviously now we have to try and persuade Andy that his future lies at Sixways but that is not easy when Premiership clubs are offering him this and that.
It will be a dogfight down at Birmingham so we will need all the support from the fans and I would love to see us take another impressive following away from home. Lets finish this season on a high!
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