THE performance against Leeds on Friday night was spot on.
Ultimately, we won the game 22-15 but the score-line really doesn't do us justice.
Phil Davies (Leeds' director of rugby) had no complaints after the game and was happy to admit we'd beaten his side all ends up.
Our basics were good, the scrum continued to be impressive, the line-outs were excellent and we had good field position. In short, we dominated and thoroughly deserved our victory.
What the game showed us again is that if you make errors in the Premiership, you will be punished. We made a couple on Friday and they scored two tries! From 16-3 up at half-time, suddenly the score became 16-15 and, at that point, I was worried that all our good work might go up in smoke.
What impressed me once again, though, was the attitude of the players. Their never-say-die character shone through and they weathered a little storm before adding another two penalties to close the game out.
There was no panic in the side and they kept on doing the things which had initially brought them that 13-point lead. That was impressive because sometimes you see teams lose their heads, chase the game and get ragged. We didn't do that and I believe that bodes well for the future. I personally feel that it was one of the best performances of the season because of the execution but also because of the composure shown during that difficult period.
The team's performance was also pleasing because we were missing people like Tim Collier and Ben Hinshelwood. Phil Murphy came in for Tim and, really, the game was set up for him wasn't it? Against his old club and against his brother Chris in the line-out, I'm sure that game at Sixways will be brought up in the Murphy household for years to come!
Let's be clear, if we hadn't got four points from that match then it would have been a massive injustice. It's a little irritating that Leeds got a point from the game but we have to be positive and begin to focus on our next game which is the showdown at The Stoop.
It's all very exciting for rugby supporters at the bottom of the Premiership. Harlequins, Northampton, Leeds, London Irish and ourselves are fighting down there and it looks as if there will be plenty more twists and turns before the season ends.
We've made no secret of the fact that we believe our home form will be key for us and the sell-out crowd at Sixways on Friday evening was once again a big factor in helping the boys. The supporters probably don't realise just what impact they have but it means a great deal to the players to hear them when they are on the field.
I was pleased for James Brown on Friday. He's training with the England 'A' squad at present and that's recognition for the season he's had with Worcester. He didn't put a foot wrong against Leeds, kicking 17 points including two drop goals. Certainly, his performance was no surprise to me. He's a very good Premiership fly-half and an important part of the team.
If you look through the squad now, you've got Chris Horsman being touted as a future Welsh international, Craig Gillies is earning rave reviews while Pat Sanderson keeps on performing to a high standard for England sevens along with Paul Sampson. We also have Ben Hinshelwood plying his trade for Scotland so it illustrates that if you perform for Worcester in the Premiership, then that next step might not be too far away.
Certainly, if you are an ambitious rugby player then Sixways is the place to be. We believe we have the infrastructure here that, if we continue to build on the field, could establish us as a major force in years to come.
That is for the future, however. Now we have to concentrate on maintaining our Premiership status and, after our fifth victory of the season, we've got the taste for more.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article