WE finally put our season to bed at the weekend but not in the style we would have wished.

The defeat to Auch in the European Shield final was disappointing not just for the players and coaches but also the supporters who made the trip to Oxford.

We would not have wished to end the season on such a low but I would hope that the fans have, overall, enjoyed our opening Premiership campaign.

Obviously, we want to win every match we play in but I honesty feel that we went into the final with one arm tied behind our back.

The strict registration process meant that the scrum was always going to give us a problem and so it proved against a decent French side. Despite their recent relegation, they were no mugs and were capable of taking full advantage of our weakness in the front row. Once the game went to uncontested scrums -- as they were predictably always going to do -- we were in with a shout. However, if we had of been at anywhere near full strength, then I'm sure we would have beaten them on Saturday.

I think there was some disappointment vented by the supporters at the way we reacted to the defeat. We gave an honest assessment of what the match meant to the club and, frankly, we've been consistent about it all along. We have made it perfectly clear that the European Shield was a competition we didn't want to be in but we had a professional responsibility to fulfil the fixtures.

Let's be clear -- we went into the match determined to win and there were a number of players who were highly motivated. People such as Daren O'Leary, playing in his final Worcester game, were desperate to go out on a high. His attitude, from his first training session to his last, has been superb and he can leave Worcester knowing he's made a big contribution in our success over the past two seasons.

However, you also had individuals within the team who were tired and needed a rest after an exhausting season. It has been all hands to the pump this season in the Premiership and the players have had to put their bodies on the line in order to keep us afloat. Our squad size has been stretched to the limit because of injuries and, unfortunately on Saturday, for some there wasn't much left in the tank. Players who have been key for us this season thoroughly deserve a rest and I don't blame them for maybe not feeling 'up' for the Kassam clash.

I think it goes without saying, however, that they will all be relishing our first game of next season. The Guinness Premiership fixture list was announced this week and it has handed us a home clash against Gloucester on the opening day in September.

It's a mouth-watering start to the season and an electric atmosphere will once again fizz around Sixways. What a start for our new signings Andy Gomarsall and Chris Fortey! I've already spoken to Andy about the game and he cannot wait for the match. It is amazing how the fixtures can bring up these incredible stories and I'm sure Gloucester will already be worried about coming up against their old boys.

Another player I've talked with this week is Ben Hinshelwood. We didn't bring Ben off the replacement bench on Saturday because the next few months will be key for him. His back problems have been well documented this season and they have driven him crazy because he was desperate to play a full part in the Premiership campaign. What's important for Ben now, though, is to rest.

The medical opinion is that his back spasms can only be cured by rest and what we hope is that a few months off will see him return to pre-season training a new player. Ben hasn't been 70 per cent fit this season and therefore unable to break the Rasmussen-Lombard centre partnership.

However, if he comes back fit, then I can assure everyone that he is determined to get back that number 13 jersey. That's where he wants to play and if he comes back firing on all cylinders, it will almost be like having a new signing at the club.

Finally, in the last column of the season, I would like to mention Mark Dobson. He is leaving the Worcester News in the next couple of weeks to move on to a new paper and I'd like to place on record our thanks at Sixways for his valuable contribution.