IT is nine days short of being 14 years since Worcester Warriors reached their one and only major cup final.
May 25, 2008 was the date as Warriors went head-to-head with league rivals Bath in the European Challenge Cup Final at Kingsholm.
Warriors had won all six of their pool matches - home and away victories over Parma, București and Montauban - in that competition to go through into the knockout stages as the number one seed.
They defeated Montpellier then Newcastle Falcons at Sixways in the knockout stages to get to the final, against Bath, who were number two seed and had also won all of their matches throughout the campaign.
The team in that final included some big name players in world rugby.
South African Thinus Delport played at full-back and New Zealand international Rico Gear was on the bench.
Worcester Warriors v Gloucester 29/3/08.pic by Jonathan Barry..Worcester Warriors v Gloucester.Thinus Delport celebrates after scoring the last gasp try against Gloucester...Pic Jonathan Barry 29/3/08.
Legendary Worcester figures such as Alex Lutui, Craig Gillies, Pat Sanderson, Kai Horstman, Shane Drahm and Marcel Garvey all started that day.
Former Worcester Warriors legend Craig Gillies..
Warriors line-up vs Bath, May 25 2008:15 Thinus Delport, 14 Marcel Garvey, 13 Dale Rasmussen, 12 Sam Tuitipou, 11 Miles Benjamin, 10 Shane Drahm, 9 Matt Powell, 1 Tony Windo, 2 Aleki Lutui, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 4 Greg Rawlinson, 5 Craig Gillies, 6 Drew Hickey, 7 Pat Sanderson (C), 8 Kai Horstman
Replacements |16 Chris Horsman, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 Will Bowley, 19 Netani Talei, 20 Ryan Powell, 21 Joey Carlisle, 22 Rico Gear.
Warriors would end up on the losing side that day, going down 16-24 to scupper their hopes of a first European trophy.
Bath took control of a tight contest with first-half tries from flanker Jonny Faamatuainu and full-back Nick Abendanon but Warriors responded with two penalties from fly-half Shane Draham.
Further kicks from Olly Barkley, in his last match for Bath, and Butch James denied Warriors although full-back Thinus Delport went over for a late consolation try for Warriors.
Fast forward 14 years, and now Worcester are once more in a cup final.
Can the new crop of players ensure there is a different outcome this time around? We shall have to wait and see.
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