Worcestershire | Archive | 2006 | March | 13
From the archive, first published Monday 13th Mar 2006.
WORCESTER'S director of rugby John Brain was delighted with his side's emphatic win against Wasps in what he described as "one of the most important games since I have been here."
Brain watched his players thump the English champions 37-8 at Sixways and put four tries on the board for the first time this season.
"It's one of our best performances of the season," he said. "It's good to win. We haven't done much of that recently. To get five points, it was a good evening for us.
"I thought we did a lot of things right. Nine and ten controlled the game pretty well. We balanced our game very well."
The tries were scored by Aisea Havili, Phil Murphy and Thinus Delport, while referee Sean Davey awarded a penalty try dead on half-time.
Shane Drahm produced a faultless kicking display to enhance his claims for a full England call-up.
And now Brain wants his players to make sure that this result is not a one-off.
He said: "What we want now is for this to be the bottom of a peak rather than just a peak-trough scenario.
"But I'm very, very pleased. The guys and the staff have worked very hard in the last couple of weeks and we have reaped the dividends."
The win puts Worcester on 39 points and means that their top-flight status is almost secured for another season.
"I think it was massively important," said Brain. "I have been here some time and I think it was one of the most important games since I have been here and I told that to the players before the game.
"I think, had we lost tonight, we would have been in a real scrap at the bottom. As it is now, we are nicely on course to attempt to finish in the top half of this league."
And the Sixways chief was delighted with the way his team held their nerve to register their second win in as many seasons against the Londoners.
"It was a big game -- a pressure game," he said.
"You always get the most satisfaction out of delivering in pressure matches, whether you are a player or a coach. It was very important for us."
© Newsquest Media Group 2008