MIKE Ruddock praised the clinical manner in which his Worcester Warriors players dispatched Romanian side Bucuresti 46-0 to complete their European Challenge Cup Pool Two fixtures with a 100 per cent record.

Seven-try Warriors sealed a home quarter-final with Montpellier and, if successful then, a home draw for the last four with Newcastle Falcons.

The Sixways director of rugby was full of praise for his side's professionalism.

He said: "Before the game, I asked the boys to be professional as there was a danger of looking ahead to Saturday's Guinness Premiership game with Bristol and not doing the job in hand against Bucuresti.

"I asked them to make sure they were professional in the way they went about their business and I think they did that - they were excellent."

Despite fielding a full-strength back-line, Ruddock opted to play several youngsters in the pack and he was pleased with how they coped with the challenge.

He said: "James Collins did well, Tom Wood has done well all season and Miles Benjamin is getting better and better all the time.

"Young Chris Pennell came on in the second-half as did Callum Black, who was fantastic when he came on.

"He scrummaged very well and his work-rate in the loose was excellent too. Matt Mullan, another youngster, did well for his two tries and Will Bowley had a great game too, so it was pleasing all round.

"In fairness to Bucuresti, they didn't want to come over here and lie down - they fronted up against us.

"They have beaten Montauban in the pool stages and are very physical, as we saw in the exchanges around the ruck.

"It took us a while to really break them down, but on a drier day we could have put an even bigger score on them, opened them up and raised the tempo of the game. But they are a stubborn bunch who kept on tackling and made us work for everything we got.

"I know they were on the end of a heavy scoreline in the end but, given the conditions, they really made us work for every try we got."

New Zealand wing wizard Rico Gear lifted the gloom at Sixways with a brilliant solo try to open the scoring, which was one of the highlights of the game for Ruddock. He added: "Rico couldn't train on Friday because he had a bit of an allergy - his asthma had played up a bit - but I told him I'd give him every Friday off if he scores tries like that!

"I hope he doesn't make a habit of having to miss training, but it was a great try and it really sparked us into life.

"Bucuresti were stubborn for the opening minutes, but that bit of magic from Rico set us on the way.

"He displayed pace, power and showed the ball to make defenders move and open up the gaps and it was the class we know he can produce."

Meanwhile, Ruddock insisted speculation Shane Drahm has signed to play for Japanese outfit Kubota Spears from next season was unfounded.

The Sixways chief added talks with the Aussie-born stand-off are ongoing.

He said: "I've spoken to Shane and his agent and there is not too much to say other than that.

"Like a lot of players coming off contract, he is keeping his options open at the moment.

"We are still in talks with Shane about his future and we'll have to wait and see, but it is purely speculation at the moment."